Texas flooding: Search and rescue efforts underway

TEXAS – As of July 8, the total number of deaths in Travis, Burnet, and Williamson Counties is 15. 

Kerr County cleanup

“There are far more fatalities than there were in Hurricane Harvey. That’s how catastrophic this is,” said Governor Greg Abbott. 

The devastation from the July 4th flash flooding has rocked Central Texas, as people tried to wrap their minds around the level of anguish. 

“Everybody’s going to have to understand that this is where we are, and we’re doing the best we can, but it’s hard,” said Auburne Gallagher.

The cleanup process is off to a slow start as authorities prioritize finding people over clearing the mountains of debris. 

“The job right now, the primary job right now, continues to be locating everybody who is affected by this flood,” said Governor Abbott. “There still remain those who are missing.”

Williamson County

Williamson County found its third body on Tuesday, with one person still unaccounted for. Workers were out making repairs to county roads. Around a dozen streets remain blocked off. Some are still flooded, while others are broken up into pieces. 

In Williamson County, nearly 40 properties have been categorized as destroyed or having major damage. 

“Williamson County, they just recovered their last victim,” said Freeman Martin, the Director of the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS).

Travis County

Texas floods: Father loses son in Burnet

A community in Burnet is rallying behind a man who lost his son in the flooding. This comes as agencies around Central Texas are still looking for people who were swept away

On Tuesday evening, Travis County officials said there were seven people dead and seven remain missing. 

The majority of the deaths in Travis County happened in the Big Sandy Creek area near Nameless Road. The other place that was hard hit by floodwater was at 1431 at Cow Creek near Lago Vista.  

“Travis County was telling me they had to have 11 rescues off of Nameless Road, and then obviously that flows over 1431,” said Shane Saum, a Lago Vista City Council Member. “There was concern that we were completely locked in at one point. You know, just a just a mess.” 

Cow Creek is where the body of a 17-year-old girl washed up on Monday. A bridge collapsed as their family was driving over it, and everyone made it out except for her. 

“Lago Vista really only has one way in and out on 1431 and everything going west is now shut down for we don’t know how long because Cow Creek bridge washed out,” said Saum.

Missing Marble Falls volunteer firefighter 

Cow Creek is also where a Marble Falls area volunteer firefighter disappeared. Chief Michael Phillips was carried off in his vehicle on Saturday while responding to a rescue call and has not been seen since. 

“Right now in Burnet County, we have three Zodiac boats and 26 DPS personnel from the Tactical Marine Unit and the Texas Highway Patrol continuing searching,” said Martin. 

Chief Phillips reportedly worked with the department for 28 years. 

For Burnet County, he is the lone person who remains missing. They have seen a total of five deaths.