Five days after deadly floods battered the greater Central Texas region, the Austin-area death toll had risen to 14 as of Tuesday morning. Authorities have been slow to identify victims, but some schools, friends and family have announced the loss of loved ones.
In Travis County, seven have been confirmed dead while 10 are still reported missing. The Big Sandy Creek area was particularly hard hit and some residents there are frustrated with a lack of assistance.
“I cannot overstate my heartbreak and condolences for the families of the lives lost in the Northwestern Travis County floods,” Travis County Judge Andy Brown said in a statement to the American-Statesman on Monday.
The statewide death toll surpassed 100 on Monday, with most of those deaths confirmed in Kerr County. Gov. Greg Abbott said late Tuesday afternoon that a staggering 161 people are reported missing in the state’s hardest-hit county.
20-month-old Austin boy among victims of Kerr County flooding
A 20-month-old boy from Austin died in the Kerr County flash flood when his family’s home became engulfed in water from the Guadalupe River, a family member confirmed to the American-Statesman Tuesday.
Seven members of the family of attorney Clint Parsley had gathered at their river home near Ingram to celebrate the July 4 holiday when the river rose to historic levels early Friday.
Clay Parisher, the son of Lance Parisher and Alissa Parsley, died, according to Aaron Parsley, the boy’s uncle and senior editor at Texas Monthly.
The family had no additional comment.
-Tony Plohetski
Body of third flood victim recovered in Williamson County
Williamson County search and rescue teams recovered the body of a third flood victim on Tuesday, according to a news release. The victim, a man, has not yet been identified.
Eleven roads in Williamson County remain closed, including four with pavement damage, the release stated. Seven of the closed roads are still flooded.
The Williamson County Office of Emergency Management, along with teams from the Houston and Galveston fire departments, has begun damage assessments. So far, 38 properties have been classified as destroyed or sustaining major damage.
Residents in need of assistance can contact the Crisis Cleanup hotline at 512-201-4814, which provides volunteer help.
-Claire Osborn
Abbott: 161 missing in Kerr County as statewide death toll rises to 109
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Tuesday that 161 people remain missing in Kerr County, including five young campers from Camp Mystic and one counselor. The county has also confirmed 94 flood-related deaths, bringing the statewide death toll from the floods to 109.
“We will not stop until everyone is accounted for,” Abbott said during a press conference in Kerrville.
Abbott, House Speaker Dustin Burrows of Lubbock, and state Rep. Wes Virdell, who represents Kerr County, pledged to pursue legislative solutions during the July 21 special session. Disaster relief and preparedness will be prioritized when lawmakers reconvene at the Capitol, Abbott said.
“The Texas House stands ready to hear concerns from the community,” Burrows said.
Closer to Austin, 10 people remain missing in Travis County, with one person reported missing in both Burnet and Williamson counties.
-Bayliss Wagner
Nonprofit seeks donations to support families displaced by San Gabriel River flood
The Georgetown Project, a nonprofit that supports children and families, is seeking donations to fund emergency hotel rooms and gift cards for those who lost their homes during Saturday’s flooding along the San Gabriel River.
The organization has already assisted 25 adults and children with clothing, shelter, and food, according to CEO Rob Dyer.
“One family with five children had been wearing the same clothes for three days,” Dyer said.
Other organizations, including Antioch Church, Helping Hands of Georgetown, The Locker, Washatopia, and Once Upon a Child, have joined the efforts. Businesses like Schlotzsky’s, Fairfield Inn, and Hydrate have also offered assistance.
To donate, visit The Georgetown Project.
-Claire Osborn
Liberty Hill woman dies after flood sweeps home into creek
Sherry Richardson, 64, of Liberty Hill, died with her beloved dog, a Yorkie named Omie Mae, after her home was swept into a creek Saturday, her daughter, Deliah Greenslet, said.
Their remains were found about a mile away on Sunday, Greenslet confirmed.
Richardson called 911 at 3:30 a.m. Saturday, reporting that water was entering her cabin, Greenslet said. As she remained on the call, water began rising up the stairs. About 15 minutes into the call, the dispatcher lost contact with her, Greenslet added.
Richardson worked in human resources at Hope House, an organization that provides care for children and adults with disabilities.
“Mom was my best friend, confidant, and the rock of our family,” Greenslet said.
Greenslet, who lives in Round Rock, said she had not received any warnings from the National Weather Service about the wall of water that swept through her mother’s house. If she had known the danger, she said, she would have had her mother stay the night with her.
In Richardson’s memory, Greenslet has organized a GoFundMe: Help Honor Sherry’s Memory.
-Claire Osborn
Reporting damage, debris cleanup, and road closures
Travis County is urging residents to document damage and report it to the Texas Department of Emergency Management at damage.tdem.texas.gov to help state and local authorities allocate resources effectively.
County officials are working with the Transportation and National Resources Department to help pick up debris in unincorporated areas. Residents in unincorporated areas should separate waste into:
- Large appliances
- Construction debris
- Vegetative debris (organic or plant-based waste)
Leave items curbside to avoid blocking traffic.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the following Travis County-maintained roads remain closed:
- Round Mountain Pass (Highwater)
- Big Sandy Lane (Highwater)
- Juniper Trail (Highwater)
- River Fern Court (Highwater)
- Cottonwood Street (Highwater)
- Round Mountain Road at Big Sandy Lane (Damaged Bridge)
- Nameless Road at Travisso (Highwater)
Residents can report damage to other county roads by calling 512-854-9433. For additional road closure details, visit atxfloods.com.
For additional assistance, residents can also contact:
- American Red Cross: Temporary shelter, emotional support, and help locating missing loved ones. Call 1-800-733-2767.
- Austin Disaster Relief Network: Support with cleaning homes, debris removal, and tarping. Call the Disaster Survivor Hotline at 512-806-0800 or 211.
-Maryam Ahmed
LCRA: Lake Travis rises 21 feet since Friday; further increases expected
The Lower Colorado River Authority announced mid-day Tuesday that Lake Travis had risen more than 21 feet since Friday morning and was projected to rise even further in coming days.
Before the July 4 floods, the water level in Lake Travis had hovered just above 637 feet, according to figures on the LCRA website. As of noon on Tuesday, the reservoir was at 658 feet — or 67% full. The lake is considered full at 681 feet.
Lake Buchanan also has seen a significant boost in water levels since the holiday weekend flooding, rising more than 9 feet to nearly 1,012 feet. That reservoir is now 80% full.
–Kiah Collier
High school football team helps tackle cleanup at devastated trailer park
Faith Academy Marble Falls football coach James Silvers usually holds practices during the summer from 8-10 a.m. But instead of taking on the gridiron Tuesday morning, he and his team traveled across the street to the trailer park, which has been devastated by the recent floods.
The team ditched their helmets and pads, opting for boots and gloves. Instead of sprinting through grass, they trudged through mud and moved debris, clearing a path to allow residents to salvage whatever’s left of their homes.
Faith Academy has been established as the command center for the state and local agencies that have been helping with the recovery efforts. As Silvers spent his weekend there, seeing firefighters and public safety officers dash toward each emergency, he felt the urge to do whatever he could to help.
Silvers has been coaching football for 17 years. He enjoys seeing his boys grow, work as a team and build life skills. Ultimately, he recognizes that what’s going on in Marble Falls right now is bigger than football.
“We enjoy our game, we love playing our game and that’s fun to be a part of that,” Silvers said. “And they are building skills with that. But this is what it’s all about, just taking care of other people.”
-Caleb Yum
Travis County to review flood notifications, commissioners talk rebuilding
Travis County Chief Emergency Management Coordinator Eric Carter on Tuesday acknowledged the confusion from local residents surrounding emergency notifications and said the county plans to do a thorough analysis after it addresses the immediate needs of the community.
“We’re still in the response phase,” Carter told Travis County Commissioners at a regularly scheduled meeting. “Down range as things calm down, [we will gather] the departments with some key questions. Given the size of this, we may come to court and ask for permission to hire out some folks to help us do that work.”
Commissioners on Tuesday voted to waive permit fees for people looking to rebuild their flood-ravaged homes but who cannot afford to pay.
Travis County Floodplain Administrator Shawn Snyder told commissioners that residents will have to follow current building regulations. Snyder said homes can be rebuilt in the floodplain unless they sustained “substantial damage,” as defined by Federal Emergency Management regulations. While there is no prohibition on building in the floodplain, homes do have to be elevated 2 feet above precipitation estimates for the area, he said.
Some commissioners raised concerns about residents putting themselves in harm’s way again.
“People need to understand the threat to their lives if they build in a floodplain area,” Commissioner Brigid Shea said at the meeting. “We’ve been really rigorous about using all those scientific data about how much the floodplain is expanding because of climate driven weather changes.”
-Maryam Ahmed
Williamson County identifies flood victim
The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday identified Sherry Merlene Richardson, 64, of Liberty Hill as one of the county’s two confirmed flood victims. Officials on Monday identified Kaitlyn Swallow, 22, as the other victim. One person still is missing in the county.
About 175 first responders were clearing brush and vegetation on Tuesday morning, according to Williamson County Emergency Management.
-Keri Heath
Glenn High School student confirmed dead
A Glenn High School student has died in the floods that devastated western Travis County communities, the Leander High School Band and Glenn Grizzly Band said in Facebook posts Monday night.
Braxton Jarmon, a rising sophomore, was a student at the Leander district high school, located about 8 miles from Big Sandy Creek, where significant flooding damaged neighborhoods.
“Our hearts are heavy with the devastating loss of Braxton, a cherished member of our Grizzly family,” the post said. “The void he leaves behind is immense, and he will be deeply missed.”
-Keri Heath
In a post, Leander school board President Anna Smith said Braxton’s sister, Felicity, who is also a Glenn student, and his stepmother are also missing.
“The Jarmon family is facing an unimaginable tragedy, and our hearts are with them during this incredibly difficult time,” Smith said.
The band asked for people to donate to the family.
Burnet County death toll rises by 1
The flood death toll in Burnet County has risen to five after search crews recovered the body of a person who was previously missing on Monday evening. The body was recovered in Hamilton Creek in the city of Burnet, Captain Mike Sorenson of the Burnet County Sheriff’s Office told the American-Statesman Tuesday. On Saturday, authorities recovered the remains of a resident of a trailer park on the same creek, who has not been identified.
Among the dead was 22-year-old Preston Prince, according to local media reports.
Crews are still searching for the last person known to be missing, Marble Falls Volunteer Fire Department Chief Michael Phillips. Phillips was swept away by floodwaters in Cow Creek while responding to a call for help around 4:30 a.m. Saturday. Officials found his emergency vehicle crushed into the dirt but have yet to locate him, Sheriff Calvin Boyd said Monday.
-Bayliss Wagner and Kiah Collier
More: Austin fire chief faces no confidence vote over delayed Kerr County flood response.
