Abbott Orders Flags at Half-Staff to Honor Texas Flood Victims

Flags are flying at half-staff across Texas today, following Gov. Greg Abbott’s order to honor the victims of the state’s catastrophic floods.

The Fourth of July flash flood — which killed more than 100 people, including dozens of children from the all-girls Camp Mystic along the Guadalupe River — is the deadliest rain-driven flash flood in the U.S. since Colorado’s 1976 Big Thompson Canyon disaster, which killed 144. The river surged nearly 30 feet in under an hour. At least 150 people remain missing.

Another storm early Saturday brought more devastation to Central Texas, killing at least 14 people in the Austin area.

"In heartfelt remembrance of those whose lives were tragically lost in the recent floods, I ordered Texas flags across the state to be lowered to half-staff," Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement. "Cecilia and I continue to pray for their loved ones as they grieve this unimaginable loss and urge all Texans to continue praying for all impacted by this devastation. Texas stands united in mourning and in our resolve to support those who strive to heal and recover.

"May God bring comfort to every family affected and strength to the thousands of first responders still working on the ground."

When will flags return to full-staff?

Flags should be returned to full-staff at sunrise on Monday, July 14.

When are flags flown at half-staff?

There are specific holidays and events when flags are flown at half-staff in the United States. That includes:

• Memorial Day, when the flag should be displayed at half-staff until noon only, then raised to the top of the staff.
• Peace Officers Memorial Day, unless that day is also Armed Forces Day.
• Patriot Day.
• National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.
• National Firefighters Memorial Day.

President Dwight Eisenhower also issued a proclamation on the proper times for flying the flag at half-staff when government officials die. That includes:

• 30 days at all federal buildings, grounds, and naval vessels throughout the United States and its territories and possessions after the death of the president or a former president.
• 10 days at half-staff after the death of the vice president, the chief justice or a retired chief justice of the United States Supreme Court, or the speaker of the House of Representatives.
• From the date of death until interment for an associate justice of the Supreme Court, a member of the Cabinet, a former vice president, the president pro tempore of the Senate, the majority leader of the Senate, the minority leader of the Senate, the majority leader of the House of Representatives, or the minority leader of the House of Representatives.
• The date of death and the following day of a United States senator, representative, territorial delegate, or the resident commissioner from the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. It should also be flown at half-staff on all federal facilities in the state, congressional district, territory, or commonwealth of these officials.
• From the date of death until interment for the governor of a state, territory or possession.

The president may also order the flag to be flown at half-staff to commemorate the death of other officials, former officials or foreign dignitaries, in addition to tragic events.