by Kerr County, Texas — Catastrophic flash floods swept through Texas over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, killing at least 82 people, with dozens more still missing, including girls from a summer camp along the Guadalupe River, authorities confirmed.
The devastation, centered in the Texas Hill Country outside San Antonio, has prompted a massive search and rescue effort and growing scrutiny over officials’ preparedness and the speed of their emergency response.
A Deadly Combination of Geography and Weather
The Texas Hill Country is notoriously prone to flash flooding due to its dry, compact soil, which prevents rain from being absorbed into the ground. That vulnerability turned deadly when a powerful storm system dumped up to 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain in the early hours of Friday, most of it falling while residents were still asleep.
Despite a flood watch issued midday Thursday, the National Weather Service (NWS) did not elevate the warning to a life-threatening, catastrophic level until around 4 a.m. Friday. By 5:20 a.m., residents reported rapidly rising water levels. The torrential runoff sent the Guadalupe River surging 26 feet (8 meters) in just 45 minutes, overwhelming campgrounds, homes, and entire communities.
Heartbreaking Toll at Summer Camps
Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha reported that at least 68 bodies had been recovered in the county, including 28 children. Fatalities from neighboring counties brought the statewide death toll to 82 as of Sunday evening.
Among the missing are ten girls and a counselor from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp situated along the river. The tragedy has turned cherished memories of summer fun into a nightmare for families and former campers alike.
The total number of people missing from other camps and nearby areas has not been confirmed.
Survivors Describe “Wall of Death”
Survivors have described the floods as a “pitch black wall of death,” criticizing the limited warning they received. Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, whose home lies along the river, admitted, “Nobody saw this coming.” Officials have referred to the event as a “100-year flood”, though experts note that such labels are based on outdated statistics that often fail to account for climate change.
While it’s difficult to directly attribute individual storms to global warming, scientists emphasize that a warming atmosphere can hold more moisture, making severe, rain-dumping storms more likely.
Officials Face Tough Questions
Authorities have come under intense scrutiny regarding delayed alerts and the decision not to evacuate vulnerable areas sooner. Some officials argue that frequent false alarms can cause the public to ignore critical warnings, but others say the delay contributed to the tragic loss of life.
Kerr County officials revealed they had previously proposed a more advanced flood warning system, similar to tornado alerts, but it was rejected due to cost concerns.
Frustrations boiled over during a Sunday news conference, where officials abruptly ended the briefing after repeated questions about the delayed response.
Widespread Destruction and Long Recovery Ahead
The floodwaters obliterated campgrounds, ripped homes from their foundations, and left widespread devastation across the region.
“It’s going to be a long time before we’re ever able to clean it up, much less rebuild it,” Judge Kelly said after surveying the damage from a helicopter.
The flooding follows a series of extreme weather disasters that have battered Texas in recent years, including Hurricane Helene last year, which forced many residents and business owners to abandon rebuilding efforts entirely.
Federal Response
President Donald Trump announced plans to visit the flood zone on Friday, as search and recovery operations continue and communities brace for the long road to recovery.
