Pastor of Texas Mega-Church Escapes Floods with Family as Floods Kill Over 100

Michael Oakes, pastor of the Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, shared how his family was miraculously spared during the deadly floods that struck the region. The floods, which devastated parts of the Hill Country, claimed the lives of over 100 people and left many missing. Oakes, who also serves as the Minister of Mission at the church, described how a peaceful day at his vacation home on the Guadalupe River turned into a life-threatening emergency.

Oakes and his wife, Liliana, along with their three teenage children, were at home when violent thunderstorms struck around 1:00 a.m. By 2:00 a.m., water had already begun flooding their dining room. At 2:30 a.m., they noticed the water rising rapidly. “We saw the lights of the cars lined up on the road while people were evacuating the nearby houses, with no place to go,” Oakes recounted in an Instagram post. “We tried to close the gaps in the doors through which the water was coming, but it was hardly lost.”

By 3:30 a.m., the water had reached the edges of their windows. Oakes and his family had to evacuate through the windows, only to find the water had dropped slightly, allowing them to reach higher ground. “Thank you Lord!” he added, expressing gratitude for their escape.

The floods have resulted in at least 109 deaths, with many children among the victims. Governor Greg Abbott reported that over 180 people are still missing, four days after the disaster. Most of the fatalities occurred in Kerr County, particularly in Kerrville, where search efforts continue. In Kerr County alone, 94 victims, including one-third children, have been identified.

Among the victims were 27 girls and counselors from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp located on the banks of the Guadalupe River. The camp’s director also perished in the floods. As of Tuesday, five young girls and a counselor were still missing. The tragedy has left the community reeling, with ongoing efforts to locate those still unaccounted for.

Source: Read the original report (translated from French)