Authorities in Kerrville, Texas, are asking the public to keep clear of the Guadalupe River flood zone and allow the more than 2,000 rescue workers to do their jobs. At a Wednesday press briefing, a representative from the Kerrville Police Department said the number of people visiting the area to look at the damage is hindering rescue operations.
With roads and bridges destroyed or badly damaged in some parts of Kerr County after the Independence Day flood in the Texas Hill Country, the remaining viable routes of travel are being quickly congested with rescuers and sightseers travelling to the area to get a glimpse of the search activities and the now famous Guadalupe River flood zone.
Routes leading from Kerrville to other parts of Kerr County, where extensive flood damage occurred, are winding, two-lane roads with narrow or no shoulders. The added traffic brought in by more than 2,000 rescue members and first responders is slowing travel through the area to conduct search operations for the missing, making it more difficult, according to authorities.
Sgt. Jonathan Lamb of the Kerrville Police Department summed up his request at Wednesday’s press conference, saying, “People coming here to see the flood damage are making our jobs much harder.”
Lamb asked residents to heed a burn ban and refrain from burning debris within the city and its outlying areas. In addition, Lamb requested property owners not to use heavy equipment to remove large piles of debris without first notifying authorities so that a proper search for victims could take place.
As of Wednesday morning, authorities report 161 people remain missing in Kerr County. This total includes 5 girls and 1 counselor from Camp Mystic near Hunt, Texas. The death toll in the county that suffered the worst casualties during the Independence Day flood now stands at 95, the death toll includes 36 children and 59 adults.
The overall death toll in the flood that impacted several other counties in the Lone Star State now stands at 120 as of Wednesday afternoon. More than 100 people remain unaccounted for.
The death toll is expected to rise as the search continues for those missing, many of whom were visitors to camp sites and RV parks nestled along the Guadalupe River when the deadly flash flood occurred.
The Central Texas hill country is home to numerous state, local, and privately owned parks and campgrounds. Breitbart Texas visited the area and noted several campgrounds and RV parks left totally destroyed by the devastating flooding.
Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol. Before his retirement, he served as the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol Stations within the Del Rio, Texas, Sector. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @RandyClarkBBTX.
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