All Texas flags are lowered to half-staff this weekend. Here’s why
If you’ve noticed flags lowered to half-staff around Texas today, it’s not just a ceremonial gesture. It’s a solemn tribute to the more than 100 Texans who’ve lost their lives in the devastating floods that swept across the state over the past week.
In a news release Wednesday, Gov. Greg Abbott called the floods a “devastating and heartbreaking loss” and ordered all Texas flags to be lowered to half-staff statewide. Flags will be at half-staff through sunrise on Monday, July 14.
“Countless lives have been lost during this horrific event and an unbelievable amount of physical and emotional damage has been sustained throughout the state,” Abbott wrote. “ It is therefore fitting that flags be lowered to half-staff to assist in mourning, remembrance, and recovery from this terrible disaster.”
While the directive applies to government buildings, Abbott is also encouraging businesses, schools, and individuals to lower their own flags in a shared gesture of grief and remembrance.
In Kerr County, at least 95 people, including 36 children, have been confirmed dead after torrential rain caused the Guadalupe River to rise more than 25 feet in the early hours on July 4.
The flooding overtook homes and campsites while many people were still sleeping.
Five campers and a counselor from a Christian girls’ summer camp remain missing as search and recovery efforts continue.
Read more about the flooding and search efforts here.
Why are flags flown at half-staff?
Flying the flag at half-staff is a national sign of mourning.
While many people associate the gesture with military funerals or the deaths of political figures, it’s also used to honor large-scale tragedies, including natural disasters with significant loss of life.
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, American flags are typically lowered:
On Memorial Day (from sunrise until noon)
Upon the death of a U.S. senator, representative, or other national official
When directed by presidential proclamation
Flags have also been lowered following the deaths of major global figures such as Queen Elizabeth II, Mother Teresa, Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis — highlighting that the tradition extends beyond U.S. leaders.
In Texas, the state government code allows the governor to call for half-staff observances at any time of significant public mourning.
While certain holidays like Memorial Day are already designated, Abbott’s current order fits within the state’s authority to honor lives lost in extraordinary circumstances.
