Texas, USA — July 9, 2025 — Days after catastrophic flooding hit parts of southeastern Texas, at least 161 people remain missing in one county alone, prompting urgent search and rescue operations amid fears for their wellbeing.
Liberty County, northeast of Houston, stands at the epicenter of this crisis. Local officials confirmed late Tuesday that while hundreds have been rescued or located as floodwaters recede and recovery efforts continue. Liberty County was among the hardest-hit areas, as torrential rainfall caused widespread flash flooding, river overflows and infrastructural collapse – yet many residents remain missing as floodwaters recede and recovery efforts begin.
Emergency crews – including National Guard members and local volunteer teams – are searching through submerged neighborhoods, wooded areas and washed-out roads for survivors of flooding. Helicopters have been deployed for aerial searches while divers have begun inspecting submerged vehicles and debris-laden waterways for any sign of anyone missing during peak floodwater levels. According to authorities, missing individuals include elderly individuals, children and entire families that were possibly swept away during flooding events.
Liberty County Sheriff Bobby Rader declared it was one of the worst flood disasters ever in decades in his press briefing Tuesday evening. Our teams are working around-the-clock, with every missing person receiving special consideration. Our priority is providing answers for these families.”
Initial reports indicate that over 20 inches of rainfall fell within 48 hours late last week, prompting rivers such as Trinity and San Jacinto to breach their banks and inundate thousands of homes without warning – many residents being trapped on rooftops while others using inflatable rafts or makeshift boats as they tried to escape rising waters.
Local shelters have become overburdened, accommodating more than 2,000 displaced residents. Donations of clothing, food, and hygiene products from across Texas have begun arriving; but officials caution that recovery will take time and be emotionally straining.
Governor Greg Abbott declared a state of emergency in more than a dozen counties and has appealed for federal disaster relief support. Abbott stated, “Now is the time for all Texans to pull together and assist those missing and support families affected by disaster.” “Together we will rebuild,” Abbott concluded. “First though, let us find those missing and provide comfort to families affected.
Surviving survivors describe terrifying accounts of awakening to waist-deep water, losing power and cell service, and trying to evacuate in pitch darkness. “It happened so fast,” lamented Monica Alvarez of Liberty County. “One minute it was raining hard; next minute the water was at our doorsteps; we haven’t seen my neighbor since Friday!”
Meteorologists anticipate additional rainfall throughout the week, which could hamper search efforts and worsen conditions in low-lying areas. Authorities advise anyone with information regarding missing persons to call their county’s emergency hotline immediately and verify if they’ve evacuated safely.
As floodwaters recede slowly, communities prepare for what will surely be an agonizing accounting of damage done, lives lost and how many of 161 missing will eventually be located.
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