Kerr County residents rebuild after back-to-back catastrophic floods

Kerr County has endured two extraordinary flood events within 13 months, each described by the National Weather Service as a once-in-a-thousand-year rainfall. The first, on July 4, caused 119 fatalities and destroyed numerous homes, while the second, on July 16, struck a slightly different corridor, again damaging structures that had only recently been repaired. Residents such as 82-year-old Joan Connor, who lost a new piano and a replacement vehicle, and 62-year-old Jack Hudson, who lost personal journals and lumber, are undertaking extensive clean-up and reconstruction with the aid of volunteers and local nonprofits.

Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance has not yet been approved, leaving many to fund repairs out of pocket. Organizations like Found on the Guadalupe River are distributing supplies and helping locate lost items, while neighbors continue to support one another through the emotional and financial strain.