KERR COUNTY, Texas – Recovery efforts are ongoing in Kerr County. 

The county received 20 inches of rain over the past few days, which led to lots of flooding.

What they’re saying:

Paul Hawkins, a longtime Kerrville resident, picked up debris along the Guadalupe River Friday afternoon.

“We just kept having flood, after flood, after flood. Then, flood wave, after wave. It kept getting higher and higher, and it actually got up a little higher than it did on the Fourth of July last year,” he said.

He says a white cross that was knocked over was supposed to honor the victims of last year’s flood.

“We just had it all looking really nice and stuff, and people were starting to bring their children back, so they could play here, and it was really nice again, and so just buckle up, get back to work, and get it straightened out here just as fast as we can,” Hawkins said.

After the devastation last year, Hawkins reflected on how the community feels.

“It’s a bad blow, and it’s really depressing. Even though we needed this rain to fill up our reservoirs and fill up our aquifers because they were way, way low, and this will get that done, but here in Hill Country it’s a land of extremes, you either get too much or you don’t get enough, and that’s just the way it is,” he said.

Dig deeper:

Multiple roads are still closed in Kerr County. Officials say at least six bridges have major damage, but they have to wait for water to fully recede to further assess.

Chunks of the road are washed away on Town Creek Road, and other parts are covered with rock and sediment.

On Third Street, part of the sidewalk is washed up, the guardrail is damaged, and tree limbs and debris are clogged on the sides of the bridge.

Kerr County officials say they were much better prepared for this flood than they were last year.

The Kerr County Sheriff’s Office said they had to do multiple water rescues this week, and there were 232 calls for service on Thursday, July 16. 

Officials set up an incident command center before the weather hit.

Statewide, there are two deaths from this flood event. One of the victims was identified as John Steward. 

FOX 7 Austin confirmed Steward graduated from Westlake High School in 1979. He also played football, ran track and sang with the Madrigals.

Officials say there are no reports of missing people in Kerr County.

“Much different than the loss of life that happened between this one and the last one, that goes back to, we weren’t caught off guard by something nobody expected,” State Rep. Wes Virdell (R-Kerrville), said during a press conference.

Alerts and sirens went off as they were supposed to.

“The flood warning system, something that is very important to everyone here. The good news is it worked, and it worked the way it was designed to work,” Tom Jones, Precinct 1 Commissioner for Kerr County, said.

The county says 17 people were in a shelter Friday morning that was cleared by the afternoon.

Texas flooding: How to help

What you can do:

If you want to volunteer for recovery efforts, click here.

If you want to donate to help out, click here.

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas is expanding its response to severe flooding as state leaders warn another round of heavy rain could bring more dangerous conditions to parts of Central and South Texas.

During a Thursday briefing at the State Operations Center, Gov. Greg Abbott said protecting lives remains the state’s top priority as life-threatening flooding continues.

“Once again, life-threatening catastrophic flooding remains our main risk tonight and overnight through the early morning hours,” Abbott said.

Abbott said 59 counties remain under a flood watch, with Uvalde and Johnson City among the communities facing the greatest risk over the next 24 hours. He also warned that record river levels are expected in several locations, including along the Nueces River near Uvalde.

The state has expanded its emergency response since Wednesday, with about 2,350 emergency responders now deployed along with more than 1,400 vehicles and pieces of equipment, including more than 85 boats, 21 aircraft, and more than 200 high-profile vehicles.

Abbott said those crews have completed more than 230 water rescues.

RELATED| Two deaths reported in Texas Hill Country floods, Abbott confirms

KEYE

Chief Nim Kidd, who leads the Texas Division of Emergency Management, said National Weather Service meteorologists are forecasting more rain over already saturated areas.

“Meteorologists from the National Weather Service tell us an additional 10 to 15 inches of rain is possible over already wet areas,” Kidd said.

Kidd said some communities in the Uvalde area remain cut off because of flooding. The state has half a million meals ready to eat and one million bottles of water prepared for delivery by high-profile vehicles or military aircraft.

The Texas Department of Transportation said 125 roadway sections across the state had been impacted by floodwaters as of Thursday afternoon, with 87 remaining closed. Officials warned that even after floodwaters recede, roads and bridges may still be unsafe because of hidden damage.

Abbott also confirmed two flood-related deaths. One victim was a man who was swept away in an RV near Comfort. The second was a 75-year-old man who was swept away while driving in Uvalde.

During the briefing, CBS Austin asked the governor when the state’s focus would begin shifting from rescue operations to recovery.

“The most important thing we can do right now during the immediacy of all the rain coming down is doing everything we can to protect human life,” Abbott said. “But that said people can begin the process maybe as early as tomorrow to go through damage assessment.”

Abbott urged Texans to continue avoiding flooded roadways as the threat continues.

“Together, all of us Texans can be diligent over the next 24 hours to make sure we avoid rising water or heading into water on roadways,” he said.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — More dangerous Texas floods expected after at least 2 killed and hundreds of people rescued in high water, governor says.

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