Rain Pauses Search for Texas Flood Victims; Death Toll Rises to 131

Persistent storms forced authorities to suspend and repeatedly restart search-and-recovery operations along the Guadalupe River on Monday, two weeks after Fourth-of-July flash floods devastated Texas Hill Country. The National Weather Service kept the region under a flood watch until 9 p.m., warning of up to five inches of additional rain that could again swell waterways. Kerr County remains the epicentre of the disaster, with at least 106 of the state’s 131 confirmed deaths and roughly 160 people still unaccounted for, according to county officials and the Texas Division of Emergency Management. Crews from FEMA and local fire departments said heavy runoff and rising water cost them much of Sunday and Monday’s search windows. County commissioners outlined plans to drain two reservoir lakes to help locate submerged trailers and vehicles, some reported to be buried under metres of gravel. More than 2,000 state, federal and local personnel—supplemented by thousands of volunteers—are involved in the effort, though informal volunteer searches were halted on safety grounds during the latest storms. Governor Greg Abbott, who has declared emergencies in 21 counties, said the state is prioritising life-saving rescues while beginning repairs on dozens of damaged roads and bridges. Abbott added that federal disaster assistance has been expanded after White House approval, and urged residents in low-lying areas to remain prepared for further evacuations.