SUMMARY: The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is investigating over 145 unsolved homicides, with 13 prioritized cases involving victims from children to adults. These cold cases span decades and regions in Texas, including Dallas, Houston, Universal City, Lubbock, and more. Notable cases include 7-year-old Elizabeth Lynne Barclay, missing and murdered in 1979, and the 1980 Christmas Day murders of Estella and Andrew Salinas in Houston. Other cases involve victims like Yolanda Herrera (1981), Richard Garza (1984), and Marianne Wilkinson (2007), each with unresolved circumstances. Texans can submit tips to the Texas Rangers or Crime Stoppers for assistance in solving these cases.

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“New floods lead to rescues and evacuations across Texas” was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.

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A storm system brought a new round of dangerous flooding across North and Central Texas on Sunday, leading to rescues and evacuations in multiple counties and suspending search efforts for victims of catastrophic floods that killed at least 120 people in the Hill Country a week ago.

Gov. Greg Abbott said Sunday afternoon that the state was conducting rescues in San Saba, Lampasas and Schleicher counties, with evacuations taking place in Lampasas, Menard, Kimble and Sutton counties.

“We are expanding operations in all affected counties — all while monitoring the rising waters in Kerrville,” Abbott said in a post on X. Kerrville, in Kerr County, is where rescue and recovery operations have focused after the Fourth of July floods in the Hill Country.

Dozens of Texans had been rescued from the Lampasas area by mid-Sunday afternoon, Abbott said. One rescue was made in Schleicher County Sunday morning, according to the county Sheriff’s Office.

Some rescues have also been made in San Saba County, Emergency Management Coordinator Marsha Hardy said, as police and volunteers spread out this morning to alert residents of both mandatory and recommended evacuation orders.

Hardy said the evacuations have gone without issue, and she hopes the rest of the rain won’t cause any more major problems so they can shift to recovery efforts.

“It’s now a matter, once again, of everybody working their way back home, probably tomorrow, and seeing what kind of damage they might have received,” Hardy said.

Sunday afternoon, U.S. Rep. August Pfluger R-Texas, who represents San Saba, posted: “Please take this seriously as the river is rising faster than it did on July 4.”

Officials in Kendall and Menard counties told residents in some parts that evacuations are currently voluntary.

Emergency crews in Kerr County suspended their search for victims of last week’s flash floods on Sunday morning, resuming in the western parts of Kerr County by 3 p.m. The Ingram Fire Department ordered search crews to immediately evacuate the Guadalupe River corridor until further notice, warning the potential for flash floods was high.

Search and rescue efforts were expected to resume on Monday, depending on river flow, Fire Department spokesperson Brian Lochte said.

On a Facebook post, the department warned area residents to stay away from river beds and roads.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported “major” floods at the San Saba River at San Saba, which reached 27 feet by 1:30 p.m. Sunday, and at the Lampasas River at Kempner, which reached 33 feet. San Saba County Judge Jody Fauley issued a mandatory evacuation order for some parts of the county as the National Weather Service forecast the San Saba River would crest higher than 31 feet by midnight.

By 3:20 p.m. Sunday, floodwaters had begun to recede in Lampasas, said Julian Thorpe, a communications representative at the Lampasas Sheriff’s Office.

“We’ve made sure everyone has been evacuated from the areas that need to be evacuated. The only ongoing issue that I’m aware of is that the Kempner bridge is blocked off,” Thorpe said, adding that he didn’t have details about rescues in the area.

NOAA also reported “moderate” floods at the Leon River at Gatesville and Cowhouse Creek near Pidcoke in Coryell County and at the Llano River near Junction in Kimble County.

Sunday evening, the National Weather Service extended its flood watch for the region to 9 a.m. Monday, explaining that one to three inches of rain was possible overnight.

An alert from the weather service’s Austin-San Antonio office issued early Sunday warned that the Central Texas region is particularly susceptible to flooding as the soil remains “near to saturation or at saturation levels” from the July 4 storms.

That weekend, the destructive, fast-moving waters rose 26 feet on the Guadalupe River in just 45 minutes before daybreak on July 4, washing away homes and vehicles. Ever since, searchers have used helicopters, boats and drones to look for victims and to rescue people stranded in trees and from camps isolated by washed-out roads.

This summer, flash flooding driven by bursts of heavy rain turned deadly elsewhere in Texas. In San Antonio in June, more than 7 inches of rain fell over a span of hours, prompting dozens of rescues from the fast-rising floodwaters and killing at least 13.

With information from the Associated Press

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This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/13/texas-hill-country-flash-floods-search-suspended/.

The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.

The post New floods lead to rescues and evacuations across Texas appeared first on feeds.texastribune.org

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

The article presents a straightforward report on flooding events and rescue efforts in Texas without promoting any ideological viewpoint. It includes statements from government officials of differing roles and provides factual updates on the situation. The language remains neutral and avoids politically charged framing or opinion. References to political figures like Gov. Greg Abbott and Rep. August Pfluger are factual and context-based rather than evaluative. Overall, the content adheres to objective news reporting, focusing on public safety and emergency response rather than partisan issues.

SUMMARY: Heavy rains and flash flooding continue across northern Texas Hill Country, less than 10 days after a deadly flood claimed over 100 lives in Central Texas. Multiple Flash Flood Warnings remain active for areas including Buchanan Dam, Llano, Cedar Park, and Georgetown. Authorities report ongoing water rescues and voluntary evacuations in several counties, with emergency services and Texas Task Force One actively responding. Key rivers like the Llano have risen dramatically, flooding parks and roads. Infrastructure impacts include power outages and road closures. Residents are urged to stay alert, avoid flooded areas, and follow official updates as floodwaters rise and safety efforts intensify.

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