KERRVILLE, Texas — Emergency crews from Florida are heading to Texas to assist in the aftermath of catastrophic flooding that has devastated the Texas Hill Country region, leaving a long road to recovery for families and communities.

Governor Ron DeSantis announced Monday in Jacksonville that Florida is deploying water rescue teams to support ongoing search and relief efforts.

“It was a biblical flood,” DeSantis said. “It was much more than what anyone anticipated. Texas has helped us when we’ve had different issues throughout the years, and we’re happy to step up.”

The flooding, which struck over the July 4th holiday, has left wa trail of destruction and heartbreak. In Kerrville, one of the hardest-hit areas, entire neighborhoods have been submerged. More than 20 miles of downed trees and debris, including cars, boats and household appliances, now line the banks of the Guadalupe River.

“My home is near the Guadalupe River,” Austin Dickson, CEO of the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, a local nonprofit coordinating relief efforts, said. “We have over 20 miles of downed trees, some 200 years old, snapped like toothpicks. There’s debris, refrigerators, washing machines, cars, and boats. It’s really just quite a mess for miles and miles.”

Dickson said the speed and scale of the flooding are unprecedented in his nine years living in the area.

“Older folks in our community remember 1987 when the river rose and claimed 10 lives,” he said. “This experience has eclipsed anything of that magnitude in our community. I have heard that the river rose at just a record speed and people just couldn’t get out in time and it was just really tragic.”

The Community Foundation has launched the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund, directing donations to vetted organizations providing rescue, relief, and recovery assistance.

You can click here for more information.

Dickson emphasized that online donations are the most effective way to help at this time.

“This is going to be a long road to recovery, and we’re going to need all the philanthropic dollars we can to get good work done in the short, medium, and long term,” he said.

Hundreds of first responders continue to search for missing residents, working around the clock alongside state and federal teams. Donations and support have poured in from across the country, from lemonade stands to national fundraising campaigns.

“After the darkness, there is light and there is hope, even though we can’t see it right now,” Dickson said. “We will get through this together as a community.”

As relief efforts ramp up, the Better Business Bureau is warning donors to be vigilant against scams that often emerge after natural disasters. The BBB advises giving directly through official websites, avoiding urgent-sounding appeals and verifying charities at BBB.org before donating.