Travis County Flooding: Sandy Creek Community Feels Abandoned Amid Deadly Disaster
As rescue crews continue searching for the missing and Texas officials count the devastating toll from what may be the state’s deadliest flooding event in recent memory, residents in one of the hardest-hit areas say they feel forgotten by the very authorities meant to protect them.
A Community Underwater
Seven deaths have been confirmed in Travis County after “an extremely deadly and destructive flood event,” County Judge Andy Brown said. The Sandy Creek area has been hardest hit. Officials said 10 people remain missing, as of Tuesday morning. Among the missing is a 17-year-old girl.
Cries for Help Go Unheard
While Travis County officials have activated emergency resources and conducted dozens of water rescues, residents in the Sandy Creek area – particularly near Big Sandy Drive on the southern tip of Leander – report feeling overlooked by the official response. Resources and crews continue to arrive across Central Texas for those impacted by devastating floods, but one woman in western Travis County — particularly the southern tip of Leander near Big Sandy Drive — said her community feels overlooked. (KXAN-TV)
“This is crazy. I know we’re not Kerr County, I know we’re not Kerrville, I know we’re not San Angelo or San Antonio, but hell! We’re human beings.” — Travis County resident Auburne Gallagher
However, as KXAN-TV points out:
Gallagher first made her claim that Travis County was not helping its residents on social media. She has since posted videos with misinformation in them, which we will not repeat, which has unnecessarily scared residents, in some cases.
The criticism comes as the broader region grapples with a statewide disaster. At least 119 people have been killed in “catastrophic” flash flooding across Texas, while several others remain missing. The majority of these deaths occurred in Kerr County, but Travis County has emerged as another epicenter of destruction.
Official Response Under Scrutiny
Travis County Judge Andy Brown called the past 48 hours “an extremely deadly and destructive flood event.” County officials issued a disaster declaration and activated emergency resources, but the response has drawn criticism from affected residents who say help arrived too late or not at all in some areas.
Travis County emergency responders have conducted dozens of water rescues since the flooding began. Officials are encouraging residents to sign up for alerts from Warn Central Texas to stay up to date on the situation. However, the alert system appears to have been insufficient for many residents who were caught off guard by the rapidly rising waters.
The neighborhood is relying on volunteers for supplies after the floods severely damaged a bridge at Big Sandy Road and Nameless Road — the only way in and out of the neighborhood. (KXAN-TV)
A local church becomes a hub of support for survivors of the Sandy Creek flood. (KUT 90.5)
A Pattern of Neglect?
The complaints about inadequate response come amid broader questions about Texas’s disaster preparedness and emergency management capabilities. The governor and top emergency official in Texas are both members of a council advising the Trump administration on options for eliminating the Federal Emergency Management Agency. This raises concerns about the state’s commitment to robust disaster response infrastructure.
Both Travis and Williamson counties have issued local disaster declarations, and dozens of people have been rescued from floodwaters. Yet for residents in the Sandy Creek area, the official response feels insufficient given the scale of destruction they’ve experienced.
An afternoon update from Williamson County authorities:
The search for at least ten people who are still missing – and the recovery effort – continues: .
Governor Greg Abbott’s special session starting July 21st will focus on the flooding disaster by enhancing flood warning systems, improving emergency communications, securing relief funding for the hill country floods, and advancing natural disaster preparations and recovery efforts.
