Here at TexasHillCountry.com and Texas Media Group, we’re taking the lead in an effort to raise money for those in need within our local communities devastated by recent floods. Our Chief Operating Officer Erin Baxter stated the flood relief goal is currently set at $100,000, and the company will present donation checks to Llano, Burnet, Kingsland, Marble Falls, Junction, and Mason. Come hell or high water, we’re determined to help Hill Country residents.
Collections will process through Arrowhead Bank in Llano and Horseshoe Bay. We work with local government, chambers of commerce, and visitors bureaus all across the Hill Country. Our Hill Country Flood Relief effort hopes to at least make the $100,000 goal if not much more. We’re also unveiling a new Hill Country Strong t-shirt in our store. All donations from our GoFundMe Campaign and proceeds of the t-shirt will go to the city authorities helping Hill Country residents impacted by the floodwaters.
Photo: Facebook/Texas Task Force 1
Destructive flooding raged through the Texas Hill Country on Tuesday, October 16, and the rain kept falling. Hundreds of people were evacuated from riverside houses in the towns of Llano, Kingsland, and Marble Falls. Emergency team performed dozens of water rescues, and the flood claimed at least two lives. Homes suffered severe water damage, and some families which didn’t have flood insurance are now facing huge losses.
Flooding remains a concern for many areas. Meteorologists say that through Saturday, as much as an additional 4 inches of rainfall could be experienced in central and north Texas. As of Thursday, flood watches are still in effect. The Colorado River in the area near Lake Travis remains in major flood stage, as does the Trinity River to the north of Houston.
Photo: Facebook/Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
The Llano River reached a near-record level of 39.91 feet on October 16, almost meeting the 1930s all-time high of 41.5 feet. This came only a week after four people were carried away in flooding of the South Llano River (which becomes the Llano farther on downstream), when floodwaters destroyed a Junction, Texas, RV park. So far, the bodies of three of the four people missing in that earlier flooding have been found, but the fourth victim remains missing.
Two lives were lost on October 16 as a result of the flooding. An as-yet unidentified body was found in Lake LBJ around noon on Tuesday, and the victim was recovered by sheriff’s deputies. Later that evening, a woman’s body was found near Llano in a flooded low-water crossing. Her name has not been released.
We would like to ask readers to keep the Texas Hill Country in their prayers and to consider donating to our Hill Country Flood Relief campaign or helping flood victims by purchasing our new t-shirt. All proceeds go to the communities of Llano, Burnet, Kingsland, Junction, and Mason to help those suffering as a result of floodwaters.