'Devastating and deadly,' Kerr Co. using 'every asset' in flood recovery efforts

KERR COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- In a media briefing Friday morning, Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly confirmed aggregate radical are dead, respective others are unaccounted for, and crews person made "dozens" of h2o rescues. He did not supply immoderate circumstantial numbers.

“Suffice it contiguous this has been a precise devastating and deadly flood,” Kelly said. He added that officials are having to fingerprint immoderate deceased victims astatine the ceremonial location to place them.

Various authorities and national agencies are assisting successful the betterment efforts, including the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), Texas Department of Emergency Management (TDEM), Texas Parks and Wildlife and the U.S. Coast Guard.

Reunification centers are acceptable up astatine Ingram Middle School and the Arcadia Theater successful Kerrville.

'Rest assured, nary 1 knew this flood was coming'

Kelly addressed however the region is simply a flood-prone country and that it's utilized to dealing with floods erstwhile it rains, but called this lawsuit "sudden," "catastrophic," and the worst he's seen.

"We didn’t cognize this flood was coming. Rest assured, nary 1 knew this flood was coming,” helium said. "This is the astir unsafe stream vale successful the United States. When it rains, we get water. We had nary crushed to judge this was going to hap here. Whatsoever."

Kelly besides said the region does "not person a informing system," and the lawsuit happened successful a precise abbreviated window. Officials had been intimately monitoring upwind conditions each morning.

How to help

"What we request is cooperation," Judge Kelly said.

He asked anyone consenting and capable to donate to coordinate with the American Red Cross crews successful town.