A beloved soccer coach and his wife have been confirmed among at least 52 people who have been killed by the devastating floods which are still sweeping Texas.
Historic rainfall caused the deadly deluge when the Guadalupe River rose more than 26 feet in just 45 minutes, sending a wall of water over several communities in the early hours of the Fourth of July.
Soccer coach Reece Zunker and his wife Paula died in the torrent – and their two young children are still missing. The couple’s family and local soccer team confirmed their deaths on social media, while one relative said their house was spotted ‘floating down the Guadalupe River’.
It comes as residents have started questioning why officials failed to warn them about the floods until 1.18pm on July 3, and framed them as only ‘moderate’ storms.
The National Weather Service escalated the alert to a flash flood warning at 1am Friday, then a more serious Flash Flood Emergency by 4.30am – but by this stage water was already pouring into families’ homes.
A flood watch remains in place for many of the worst-hit areas of central Texas through Sunday, including Kerrville County where the majority of the deaths have been recorded. Forecasters have warned that more rain is on the way.
Beloved soccer coach and wife among the dead
Reece Zunker and his wife Paula are among those who died in the devastating floods, and their two young children are still missing.
The couple’s family and local soccer team confirmed their deaths on social media, while one relative said their house was spotted ‘floating down the Guadalupe River’.
Tivy Boys Soccer team paid tribute to their coach in a Facebook post, saying he ‘rebuilt the soccer program and left a legacy’.
‘His passion for his players, students, co-workers, community and his family will never be forgotten,’ the team wrote.
Dozens of people commented on the post to share the ‘incredible’ impact he had on their lives.
Republican Congressional candidate claims floods are ‘fake’
Georgia-based Republican Congressional candidate Kandiss Taylor has claimed the floods were ‘fake’ in a bizarre social media post.
‘Fake weather. Fake hurricanes. Fake flooding. Fake. Fake. Fake,’ Taylor wrote on X on Saturday, the day after the floods deluged central Texas.
She later back-pedaled after facing criticism, claiming she ‘wasn’t talking about Texas’ and was instead ‘referring to legislation being proposed due to weather modification’.
Watch the rise of the Texas river which caused mass flooding
Shocking images show the flood aftermath
Search continues at Camp Mystic for missing girls
Dozens of children are still missing from Camp Mystic, where an all-girls Christian school was staying over when the floods hit.
Dallas megachurch where George Bush is a member issues plea for donations
Highland Park United Methodist Church, where former President and Texas governor George Bush used to pray, has issued a statement.
‘The situation unfolding in the Texas Hill Country is deeply heartbreaking—but even in the midst of such sorrow and uncertainty, we hold on to hope and the promise that God is near to those who suffer,’ the church said in a message to followers.
‘This crisis affects many in our HPUMC family and our local Park Cities community, including generations of women and families touched by Camp Mystic.
‘One of the girls unaccounted for, Hadley Hanna, is a part of our church family. Please pray for her safety and for her parents, Doug and Carrie, along with her two sisters.
‘In times like these, it’s natural to feel a wave of emotion—grief, confusion, fear. Yet as followers of Jesus Christ, we trust that we are never alone in our sorrow.
‘You can help these families and others affected by the flooding in Central Texas by donating online. We are currently working with partners to assess the greatest needs.I hope you’ll join us in worship tomorrow.’
Where is the Texas floodzone?
The Guadalupe River, which runs through several towns around 100 miles south-west of Austin, broke its banks on July Fourth, causing the monster floods.
Communities including Kerrville and Ingram have been devastated by the deluge, and dozens of children who were camping at nearby Camp Mystic are still missing.
Pope Leo XIV is praying for Texas
The Peruvian-American Pope offered his ‘sincere condolences’ and prayers for the families in central Texas, including 27 children who are still missing from an all-girls Christian summer camp located along the river which burst its banks.
‘I would like to express sincere condolences to all the families who have lost loved ones – in particular their daughters who were at summer camp – in the disaster caused by the flooding of the Guadalupe River in Texas in the United States,’ he said during his Sunday Angelus prayer at the Vatican.
‘We pray for them,’ he added.
Meteorologists warn more flooding could be on the way for the worst-hit county
The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for several counties including Kerrville County in Texas, which has seen the worst of the flooding so far.
Meteorologists have warned that ‘flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible’ in the region until 1pm on Sunday.
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