Weeks After Devastating Floods, Texas Communities Still Need Support

Devastating floods swept across Texas Hill Country over Independence Day Weekend, destroying homes and claiming lives in towns and unincorporated communities from Kerrville to Leander. While response teams and media coverage have largely concentrated on Kerrville, where the Guadalupe River reached record levels, residents and volunteers say entire areas outside the spotlight are being left to recover on their own.

Image Courtesy of Timothy Mabry

State and local agencies responded swiftly in Kerrville, where dozens of homes were destroyed and emergency shelters were opened. The Texas Division of Emergency Management designated the city as a central hub for aid and National Guard support. But across the region, other communities are still waiting for that level of assistance.

“We have gotten multiple reports in small unincorporated communities that they have massive amounts of flooding and devastation,” said Timothy Mabry, a candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Texas, who has spent the last two weeks on the ground helping with recovery efforts. “People need to start looking outside of Kerrville.”

Mabry emphasized that the destruction stretches far beyond a single city. “There was flooding all along the Guadalupe River. This is a bigger issue. Kerrville is the spotlight,” he said, pointing to areas like Leander, northwest of Austin, which were hit hard but have received little public attention or coordinated support.

According to Mabry, basic relief efforts, such as distributing supplies, clearing debris, and conducting search operations, are being carried out almost entirely by volunteers in many of the affected areas. “This is all civilian operation here [in the small communities]. The government has not been here,” he said.

Local officials in counties like Williamson and Burnet have reported infrastructure damage, impassable roads, and homes rendered uninhabitable. While assessments are ongoing, some communities remain cut off or underserved due to the focus on high-profile areas.

Despite the slow government response in some places, residents are pushing forward. Volunteer groups, churches, and neighbors have stepped in to deliver food, clean out homes, and assist displaced families. Still, many say long-term recovery will require a broader response from state and federal agencies.

As the Hill Country begins to recover, Mabry and others are calling for immediate action to address the full scope of the flooding, not just where the cameras are pointed.