Rain forces pause in search for over 100 missing in Central Texas Floods

Rain forces pause in search for missing Texas Floods

New rainfall has temporarily halted the search for over 100 people missing after a flood in Ingram, Texas, forcing first responders to pause their efforts as volunteers continue to provide support.

INGRAM, Texas - The message was clear in Ingram on Sunday, to get everybody and everything out of and away from the river as the first responders had to sit back and watch another day of heavy rainfall.

The search and rescue air-boats are back on land. After nine days of scouring, they were put on pause because of more rain.

What they're saying:

A Fire Marshall from Fredericksburg, Reagan Rabke, and his crew are part of the larger army of first responders and volunteers looking for the more than 100 people still missing.

"We have to protect ourselves. We’re going to look after everybody, but ourselves is number one," said Rabke. "It was unimaginable once we got down here, it’s just unexplainable." 

Fredericksburg Fire Chief, Lyn Bizzel, started his career in 1980.

"We are here to help as best we can, but it’s just…heartbreaking," said Bizzel. "I've been to a lot of incidents over my career and this is terrible."

The Fredericksburg Fire Crew are taking the day to regroup and reflect.

Dig deeper:

While the search was suspended, other volunteers’ work was not.

Erik Burton and dozens of others at VFW Post 1480 in Kerrville are sorting through thousands of donations to help those first responders, and other Texans, who are dealing with floods.

"All this help right now from the community. I mean, I’ve got people from New York sending stuff to us and we’re getting a lot of money, a lot of relief and we’re trying to get it out of there, out of here, as fast as we can," said Burton. 

"It’s really nice to see a community pull together and do this."

So, when the boats do get back on the water. They’ll have what they need to scour the river again and find the more than 100 people still missing.

Big picture view:

Rabke tells FOX 4 of their exhausting efforts to reunite loved ones with their family members.

"We’re going to work as hard as we can for those loved ones, because that’s what you’d want, and we just put it in perspective like that. We were going to do what you want to do for your family."

What's next:

Depending on how high the river is tomorrow, first responders say their crews will go at it again.

They do say the rain, no doubt, will make it tough as they have to go through the areas already searched again.