Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and National Guard Bureau Chief General Steven Nordhaus surveyed catastrophic flood damage in Kerrville on Tuesday following deadly flooding that devastated communities across Kerr County during the July 4th holiday weekend.
At a briefing at the Hill Country Youth Event Center, Abbott praised the Trump administration’s swift response in providing critical resources for search and rescue operations. Gen. Nordhaus, a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, outlined how states nationwide have deployed resources to assist Texas in locating missing individuals.
Local first responders detailed the community’s ongoing needs and hardships. Before leaving, Abbott greeted volunteers and thanked them for their work during what he called a tragic time.
The briefing included a roster of state officials, including Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd, Adjutant General Major General Thomas Suelzer, and various leaders from the Texas A&M system. Senior military advisors John T. Raines III and Command Sergeant Major Frederick Heard also attended.
Following the briefing, Abbott and Nordhaus took an aerial tour to assess the flood’s impact. The governor described the intensity of floodwaters that ravaged Kerrville, Hunt, and surrounding areas.
He emphasized the coordinated rebuilding efforts aimed at making communities stronger than before.
After the tour, both leaders thanked five rescue groups for saving countless lives. These included two UH-60 Black Hawk assault crews, two ground transportation platoons, a Czech Republic Search and Rescue team, and Q3x UH-60 Black Hawk Medevac crews.
The recognition highlighted the international and multi-agency response to Texas’ flooding crisis.