Many survivors in Kerr County still await aid from last year’s disaster
A year into recovery efforts in west Kerr County, many families are still waiting for permanent housing, rent help and access to resources, according to Hill Country organizations working with survivors.
The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country told Kerr County commissioners on Monday that many of the survivors it is working with still need permanent homes.
Only 138 of 641 families have had their cases closed, the foundation said. The organization has 32 case managers working to connect families with assistance.
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Kerr County & Central Texas hammered by more killer floods
Two people have died in fast moving flash floods in the same area of Texas still recovering from the deaths of two dozen campers last year. The floods on the Guadalupe River forced hundreds of rescues in western Kerr County,. Rescuers saved more than 200 people, including stranded drivers and people trapped in homes.. More rain is expected.
Aid from the state and federal government has been predictably slow in Kerr County. If you recall Department of Homeland Security approval requirements for FEMA Urban Search and Rescue deployments required personal approval from now deposed and shamed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.. Some search-and-rescue resources were not authorized until more than 72 hours after the July 4, 2025 flooding began.
Many survivors continue to experience lengthy delays or denials in receiving FEMA assistance, and this became a significant point of criticism during the months following the disaster.
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Summer 2026 Global Climate Events
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Floods Sweep Russia’s Urals After 40-Year Rainfall Record Falls
Rainfall in the Sverdlovsk region has continued almost without interruption since the beginning of June.
By the end of the month, precipitation levels had surpassed the previous record established in 1986.
Hail, hurricane winds in Bulgaria
Recovery efforts continue across Bulgaria after powerful storms swept through large the country July 22, bringing torrential rain, hurricane-force winds, intense lightning, and large hail. Cleanup operations remain underway as authorities deal with widespread damage to infrastructure, roads, and public spaces.
El Niño driven Chilean floods
Weeklong rainstorms blamed on El Nino that have battered Chile have killed at least 10 people. Another 100,000 have been cut off from services as authorities declared a state of emergency. Thousands of homes have been destroyed.
Since last week, rain has lashed the typically arid northern regions of Coquimbo and Atacama, where such intense levels of precipitation are highly unusual.
India’s Himalayan states lashed
Heavy monsoon rain is battering India’s Himalayan states. Himachal Pradesh is under an IMD warning for heavy to very heavy rainfall until July 20, with landslide risks high in Chamba, Kangra, Shimla and Mandi. Meanwhile, Arunachal Pradesh’s crisis is deepening — fresh floods and landslides hit East Siang and Kamle districts, affecting 25 villages in just 24 hours.
Cars swept away in Romania
A powerful flash flood swept through the mountain town of Bușteni July 19, carrying cars, rocks, and debris through the streets and blocking traffic on the busy DN1 national road. Emergency crews rescued several people trapped by the floodwaters, while dozens of homes were inundated
20 Dead in Afghan Floods
July’s floods in Afghanistan are among the country’s deadliest natural disasters of the year, striking after months of repeated flooding had already weakened communities. The worst damage occurred in the mountainous eastern province of Nuristan, where intense monsoon-related rainfall triggered catastrophic flash floods on July 20–21, 2026.
Shanghai climate whiplash
Record rains followed record heat (104°F)
as Shanghai roads flooded after thunderstorms brought torrential rain to the city on mid-July. More than 8 in. of rain of rain fell within five hours in Yangpu district, inundating underground supermarkets and malls. Local weather authorities expect heavy rain to continue in the coming days.