Overview

• The confirmed death toll from the July 4 flash floods in Kerr County and surrounding areas has risen above 109, with more than 160 people still unaccounted for.
• Rescue teams have begun focusing on recovery and body retrieval as additional rain forecasts pose new obstacles for search operations.
• President Trump’s major disaster declaration has unlocked federal funds for relief, and he is due to tour the hardest-hit communities on Friday.
• Officials face mounting criticism over the lack of flood sirens and spotty mobile alerts in the region long known as Flash Flood Alley.
• Preliminary estimates place total damages between $18 billion and $22 billion, intensifying calls for infrastructure upgrades and policy reforms.