The Salvation Army is expanding its relief efforts in Central Texas after devastating flash floods killed dozens and displaced thousands of our neighbors and friends.
They are leading the charge in providing emergency aid, food, drinks, emotional and spiritual care, and critical supplies to survivors, volunteers, and rescue workers in Kerr County and beyond.
TO DONATE TO SALVATION ARMY EMERGENCY DISASTER SERVICES:
Help bring hope to those in need.
Donate to The Salvation Army Texas Flood Rescue and Recovery efforts HERE or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY. (1-800-725-2769)
You can also drop off donations and checks to their base of operations in Kerrville at 855 Hays Street.
TO REPORT A MISSING PERSON:
Call (830) 258-1111 or email kerrvillemissing@dps.texas.gov with the person's name and description. Photos are encouraged.
The reunification center for families is at Calvary Temple Church at 3000 Loop 534 in Kerrville.
UPDATE 7/10 #2:
From a friend of a volunteer in Kerrville:
UPDATE 7/10:
HUNT, Texas (KRLD): Kerr County is partnering with several different agencies from across the state and Mexico to go through the massive amount of debris that has choked areas near and around the Guadalupe River.
Captain Jason Waldrip is with the Kerr County Special Operations Division and he has a warning for residents wanting to remove debris.
"If you see these very large excavators working, please avoid these areas," Waldrip said. "We are trying to control these work sites."
Officials do not want people to try and clear debris on their own as there could be victims inside.
The police are telling residents wanting to clear their debris not to use heavy equipment unless it has been checked by a search party.
"We are still spotting areas up and down the river where we can take apart these materials and hopefully locate some more of the missing," Waldrip said.
SOURCE: NewsRadio 1080 KRLD
UPDATE 7/9:
HUNT, Texas (AP) — More than 160 people are still believed to be missing in Texas days after flash floods killed over 100 people during the July Fourth weekend, the state’s governor said Tuesday.
The huge jump in the number unaccounted for — roughly three times higher than previously said — came after authorities set up a hotline for families to call. That number is (830) 258-1111. Concerned loved ones can also email kerrvillemissing@dps.texas.gov.
Those reported missing are in Kerr County, where most of the victims have been recovered so far, Gov. Greg Abbott said. Many were likely visiting or staying in the state’s Hill Country during the holiday but did not register at a camp or hotel, he said during a news conference.
The county’s lowlands along the Guadalupe River are filled with youth camps and campgrounds, including Camp Mystic, the century-old all-girls Christian summer camp where at least 27 campers and counselors died. Officials said Tuesday that five campers and one counselor have still not been found.
Search-and-rescue teams are using heavy equipment to untangle and peel away layers of trees, unearth large rocks in riverbanks and move massive piles of debris that stretch for miles in the search for the missing people. Crews in airboats, helicopters and on horseback along with hundreds of volunteers are part of one of the largest search operations in Texas history.
The flash flood is the deadliest from inland flooding in the U.S. since Colorado’s Big Thompson Canyon flood on July 31, 1976, killed 144 people, said Bob Henson, a meteorologist with Yale Climate Connections. That flood surged through a narrow canyon packed with people on a holiday weekend, Colorado’s centennial celebration.
SOURCE: AP
HUNT, Texas (KRLD): Since July 4, mobile feeding units have been stationed in Kerrville, Hunt, and Ingram, where volunteers have already served more than 1,700 meals, 290 snacks, and over 10,000 drinks. Emergency teams are also providing hygiene kits, blankets, and spiritual care to survivors and first responders.
In Kerrville, crews are working around the clock from their base at City West Church in Ingram, supporting nearly 1,000 emergency workers with meals and supplies. Additional help is being deployed to San Angelo, where a Salvation Army mobile kitchen is now operating at Hargraves Auto. Units from Big Lake and Midland are also on the way.
Leaders say they’re coordinating closely with state and local officials as more roads reopen and floodwaters recede. They plan to begin accepting in-kind donations in the coming days.
For now, the Salvation Army says financial support is the most effective way to help. Donations can be made at helpsalvationarmy.org or by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY. Every dollar will go directly toward disaster response efforts in Texas.
The Salvation Army operates in nearly 7,000 locations across the U.S., providing emergency relief, food, shelter, and long-term recovery for millions each year.
SOURCE: NewsRadio 1080 KRLD