Summary

  • A father and two children have been swept away by flash floods in the US state of New Mexico, the National Weather Service says

  • A swift water rescue team is searching for the family, and other rescues are under way in the village of Ruidoso

  • No injuries or deaths were immediately reported, but the mayor said three people were unaccounted for

  • Video shows a house washed away in brown floodwaters, splintering as it hits trees, and the NWS says multiple homes have been "moved by water"

  • The emergency comes just days after deadly floods hit the neighbouring state of Texas

  • In Texas, more than 109 people are confirmed dead and at least 161 are still missing following flash floods last Friday

Media caption,

Watch: Moment house is swept away in New Mexico flash flooding

  1. Six dead in Kendall County yet to be identifiedpublished at 22:32 British Summer Time 7 July

    We've just had a short update from Kendall County officials, during which emergency management coordinator Brady Constantine confirmed that six people are known to have died in the county, and that none of them have yet been identified.

    He added that right now, their focus is on search, rescue and recovery.

  2. Rain begins again in central Texas, residents urged to be cautiouspublished at 22:24 British Summer Time 7 July

    It's raining again in parts of central Texas, with regional National Weather Service (NWS) offices warning residents to be cautious, with the potential for rivers to rise - mostly minor flooding, though "isolated moderate [flooding] cannot be ruled out".

    "Rises from ongoing rainfall are underway across central Texas, particularly in the Colorado and Brazos River basins. Avoid flooded roads," the National Weather Service West Gulf River Forecast Center says on X., external

  3. Americast has been answering your Texas flood questionspublished at 22:15 British Summer Time 7 July

    The Americast logo, which features the title superimposed on an American flag

    In the latest Americast episode, the team answer your questions on the Texas floods disaster.

    Anthony Zurcher, who is from Texas and knows the region well, is joined by Justin Webb and Marianna Spring in the BBC’s podcast on all things America.

    Did Trump’s funding cuts contribute to the failings in evacuating people, and what are the conspiracy theories around the disaster?

  4. The start of a new week brings some normalcy to Kerrvillepublished at 21:49 British Summer Time 7 July

    Alex Lederman
    Reporting from Kerrville

    A group of people stand on a viewing platform looking over the riverImage source, Reuters

    Life in Kerrville won’t be normal again for a long time, but our third day in the city was the first with at least some sense of normalcy.

    The 4 July holiday weekend has finished and people have had to return to work and their day-to-day lives.

    Over the weekend, people were out and about everywhere we turned — assessing damage, assisting with the clean-up, staring into space.

    We saw several people spontaneously crying or hugging, overwhelmed at what happened to their community.

    Today, the streets, and even the riverfront - where people went to witness what had happened -were far more empty.

    Shelters were previously packed with people seeking assistance, and reunification centres hectic with families looking for their loved ones.

    Today, those same sites are largely empty. Fewer shelters are operating than in days’ past.

    Only the loved ones of those still missing await their fate, often in private.

  5. Death toll rises to 95 - BBC's US partner reportspublished at 21:34 British Summer Time 7 July
    Breaking

    The death toll across Texas has risen to 95 as rescuers continue to comb the flood-affected areas of the state.

    In Burnet County, the total is now four dead, according to sheriff Calvin Boyd, who gave a media briefing a little earlier.

    The BBC’s US partner CBS News is reporting there have now been six deaths in Kendall County.

    And one further death has been confirmed in Travis County, CBS also reports.

  6. Trump could visit flood-hit Texas on Fridaypublished at 21:10 British Summer Time 7 July

    White House Press Secretary Karoline LeavittImage source, The White House/Youtube

    White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says Donald Trump will likely travel to visit the flood-hit areas of Texas on Friday.

    She also hit out at commentary around the National Weather Service, which some have argued did not provide an early flood warning.

    She says the NWS provided "early and consistent warnings" and "timely flash flood alerts", and asserted the their "offices were well staffed - in fact one of the offices was over staffed, they had more people than they need. So any claim to the contrary is completely false."

    Before the floods, there were concerns that cuts by Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) had adversely affected the weather service.

    You can read more about the questions and concerns around the NWS here.

  7. 'They were washed away holding hands': Volunteers help search for neighbourspublished at 20:52 British Summer Time 7 July

    Media caption,

    Volunteers help lead search for their neighbours after Texas flooding

    Volunteer rescuers are continuing to search for people washed away by the floods.

    Ilda Mendoza, who is due to give birth in just two weeks, is helping lead search efforts in her flood-ravaged Texas neighbourhood.

    She helped recover the bodies of José Olvera and his two children, while the search continues for Alicia Olvera, their missing mother.

  8. Images show aftermath of flooding at Camp Mysticpublished at 20:38 British Summer Time 7 July

    New images are starting to come through from the girls' summer camp, Camp Mystic, where Friday's flash flooding resulted in the death of at least 27 girls and staff.

    Frames hang from a wall with streaks of flood marksImage source, Reuters
    Crosses hang from a wall with flood marksImage source, Reuters
    Chairs lie on the floor in a damaged roomImage source, Reuters
  9. Topography makes Kerr County prone to flash floodspublished at 20:16 British Summer Time 7 July

    Matt Taylor
    BBC Weather

    On the day of the floods, the National Weather Service reported a swath of about 5 -10in (125-250mm) of rainfall in just 3-6 hours across south-central Kerr County.

    Original forecasts were for the potential of about 8in (200mm) falling across the region.

    I mentioned previously that Kerr County is a particularly hilly area, which played its role in creating the devastating flash floods we saw.

    Those huge amounts of rain were directed off the hills and straight into the surrounding rivers causing them to swell at such a rapid rate, effectively sending a torrent of water downstream.

    Low-lying areas next to the river flooded exceptionally quickly.

    Such topography and the tendency for severe storms in the region at certain times of the year mean the area is prone flash floods, with many deadly instances reported in the past.

  10. WATCH: First responders save people caught in Texas floodingpublished at 20:07 British Summer Time 7 July

    A video from the US Department of Defense shows first responders rescuing people during the floods in Texas, including children and the elderly.

  11. 'He died a hero' - Local preacher mourns death of Camp Mystic directorpublished at 19:45 British Summer Time 7 July

    Angélica Casas
    Reporting from Kerrville, Texas

    A composite image showing Richard Eastland on the left, and the damage in front of Canp Mystic on the rightImage source, CBS/Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Richard Eastland was the director of Camp Mystic

    It has not been difficult to find Kerrville residents with some sort of connection to Camp Mystic, the summer camp where at least 27 girls and staff died in the floods.

    Local pastor Del Way knows the Eastland family who owns the camp. He says he was especially fond of its director Richard ‘Dick’ Eastland, who died while reportedly trying to save young campers.

    "They’re the most loving, kind, giving people you’ll ever meet in your entire life," Way tells us of the Eastland family as he holds back tears. "It’s like they got ambushed in the middle of the night."

    Off season, the camp opened its doors to the community. Way’s son celebrated his graduation there and his daughter got engaged at the camp.

    Though Way’s home was also destroyed in the flood, he tells us there’s no point talking about that when lives have been lost.

    "The whole community will miss him," Way says of Dick. "He died a hero."

    Del WayImage source, Angélica Casas
    Image caption,

    Local pastor Del Way

  12. More slow-moving thunderstorms predictedpublished at 19:29 British Summer Time 7 July

    In its latest forecast, the National Weather Service (NWS) has predicted more slow-moving thunderstorms leading to another day of localised flash flooding threat in central Texas.

    "A very moist and conditionally unstable environment continues across the flood-ravaged portion of Texas," it says on its website, external.

    "Thunderstorms that affected portions of central to north Texas yesterday have largely tapered off through the early hours this morning. However, with a subtle low to mid-level disturbance remaining in place, scattered thunderstorms could once again develop at anytime today in this environment."

    The NWS says it expects thunderstorm to become more organised and move westward, "possibly across the flood-ravaged portion of Texas during the day today".

  13. 'Incredibly heartbreaking' - local campaigns for warning sirens after flood tragedypublished at 19:12 British Summer Time 7 July

    Gary O'Donoghue
    Chief North America correspondent, reporting from Texas

    Woman being interviewed by journalist and camera crew

    As the search continues, the focus is increasingly moving to what could have been done, if anything, to prevent this tragedy.

    One local campaigner, Nicole Wilson, has already set up a petition with 450 signatures calling for flood sirens to be set up in Kerr County along the Guadalupe River - something in place in other counties.

    Such a system has been debated in Kerr County for almost a decade but funds have never been allocated for it.

    Nicole told me she thought sirens could have prevented the tragedy: "When you're a child, you expect somebody, an adult's going to come save you... It's incredibly heartbreaking."

    Nicole, who has children who also go to summer camps in the area, says she's saddened by the decisions over the years not to invest.

    "To have camps, to have RV camps, to have houses that close to a river and it flood like that, I don't understand why Kerrville and Kerr County hadn't invested in flood sirens," she says.

    President Trump is expected to visit the area later in the week and Nicole says she wants him to arrive with, as she puts it, "a blank cheque".

  14. Presbyterian camp evacuated after groundskeeper sent radio warningpublished at 19:01 British Summer Time 7 July

    A silver canoe is bent almost in half around the trunk of a small treeImage source, Supplied: Rowdy Winters

    One summer camp in Kerr County sent its groundskeeper down to the river to watch the water levels on Saturday night, radioing back a warning for the camp to evacuate.

    Rowdy Winters, a local photographer whose mother works at the Mo-Ranch Presbyterian camp, tells the BBC's World Service that they were able to relocate everybody ahead of the early hours "when the rivers were unstoppable".

    "The summer camp industry in Hunt is critical to this area," Winters says, adding: "And for this to happen on 4th of July weekend, which is probably the biggest weekend of the year is, it's hard, it's heart-breaking."

  15. Sniffer dogs aiding rescue effortspublished at 18:48 British Summer Time 7 July

    A dog walks along a shallow part of river next to an upturned carImage source, No Dogs Left Behind

    Rescuers in Texas have an enormous amount of ground to cover, so they have enlisted the help of sniffer dogs to find victims and survivors.

    Jeffrey Beri, the founder of animal rescue organisation No Dogs Left Behind, is on the ground with 10 of his trained dogs, some of whom he says specialise in explosive detection, to help the rescue effort.

    He says he was looking for a mother and father who were reported to have washed away in Hunt, Kerr County.

    "We were able to find the father, unfortunately he was deceased. We were also able to find the shirt of the mother but still have not been able to locate her," he tells the BBC's World Service.

    "We found many shirts we turned over to the police and we staked areas where we found these articles in the hopes that they can dig down," he says.

  16. Death toll in Texas rises to 91 - White Housepublished at 18:35 British Summer Time 7 July
    Breaking

    Ninety-one people have now died as a result of flash flooding in Texas, White House Press Karoline Leavitt says.

    She adds that President Trump will visit the state later this week.

  17. Questions remain over how many people the weather warnings reachedpublished at 18:26 British Summer Time 7 July

    Nomia Iqbal
    North America correspondent

    There are real divisions brewing about how much warning was given by weather forecasters.

    Critics say President Trump's cuts to weather services and related federal agencies have weakened warning systems.

    The National Weather Service said it was heartbroken at the loss of life but it conducted briefings on Thursday and issued a flood watch warning that afternoon.

    Questions remain about how many people they reached, whether some of the cuts to the service affected it, and if there was a so-called warning fatigue among residents in a place prone to flash flooding.

    The president himself - who is due to visit Texas this week - called it all fake news, instead describing it as "100-year catastrophe" that "nobody expected."

    Meteorologists say it's exceptionally difficult to guess exactly what a complex weather system will do, and then being able to convince everyone to prepare for the worst.

  18. Rescue swimmer and crew saved 165 lives, Department of Homeland Security sayspublished at 18:13 British Summer Time 7 July

    Rescue Swimmer Scott Ruskan  stands in front of an orange-painted helicopter. He is wearing a green uniform and holding several safety equipment including helmets.Image source, DHS

    As search and rescue efforts continue in Central Texas, we are hearing of some of the efforts of first responders that helped save many from the flash flooding.

    The US Department of Homeland Security has singled out one of its officers for particular praise.

    "Rescue Swimmer Scott Ruskan and his Coast Guard aircrew answered the call of duty without hesitation - saving 165 lives during his first rescue mission," the department says.

    Ruskan has been on the job for about a year and this was his first case since he completed his training six months ago.

    His efforts have also been praised by the White House.

  19. Analysis

    Floods in Texas are exactly the type of extreme event we should expect as planet warmspublished at 18:01 British Summer Time 7 July

    Justin Rowlatt
    Climate editor

    Destroyed van in front of tress destroyed following the floodsImage source, Getty Images

    The link between a warming climate and increased flooding is straightforward: warmer air can hold more moisture, so when it rains, it rains harder.

    Scientists first discovered this nearly 200 years ago and their findings still hold true today: for every degree Celsius the air warms, its capacity to hold water vapour rises by about 7%.

    This means storms in a hotter world are likely to produce much heavier rainfall and is why climate scientists say the devastating floods in Texas are exactly the type of extreme event we should expect as the planet warms.

    "There has been an explosion in extreme weather in recent years," says Professor Bill McGuire, an expert in climate hazards at University College London.

    As the planet continues to warm, he warns to expect "more devastating flash floods caused by slow-moving, wetter storms that dump exceptional amounts of rain over small areas in a short time".

  20. Some flash flood warnings still in place as new alerts issuedpublished at 17:47 British Summer Time 7 July

    National Weather Service flash flood warnings still remain in parts of Texas today.

    Warnings have been extended in Burnet County until 13:30 CDT (19:30 BST), and Llano County until 12:45 CDT (18:45 BST).

    Flash flood warnings have also been extended in north-western Lampasas and eastern Mills counties until 12:30 CDT (18:30 BST).

    San Angelo has issued flash flood warnings for southern Brown, north-eastern McCulloch and north-western San Saba counties until 12:45 CDT (18:45 BST).

    It has also issued a warning for southern McCulloch County in west central Texas until 13:30 CDT (19:30 BST).