Deadly Texas Flooding: Live Tracker Maps
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Death and destruction swept through Texas Hill Country on Friday as torrential rains unleashed catastrophic flooding, leading to multiple fatalities and triggering urgent boat rescues. Months' worth of rainfall fell within just a few hours, overwhelming riverfront communities and forcing emergency teams to evacuate children's summer camps threatened by rising water.
In central Kerr County, up to 10 inches of rain inundated the area overnight, causing the Guadalupe River to swell rapidly and overflow its banks, sparking widespread flash flooding.
Interactive maps by Windy.com show the affected areas and the severity of the Texas flooding.
Texas Floods: Weather Radar
Guadalupe River Could Rise to 36 Feet Near Spring Branch
The Guadalupe River, which winds through the scenic Hill Country, is currently at risk of breaching its banks in multiple locations. Areas affected include Kerrville, Comfort, Hunt, and near Spring Branch, with floodwaters expected to reach moderate levels — a threshold that poses a threat to low-lying infrastructure and residential areas. According to the NWS, river levels near Spring Branch could rise to 36 feet, leading to impacts such as the inundation of secondary roads and low bridges within the floodplain.
The Guadalupe's river gauge at the unincorporated community of Hunt, where the river forks, recorded a 22-foot rise in just about two hours, according to Bob Fogarty, meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Austin/San Antonio office. Fogarty said the gauge failed after recording a level of 29 and a half feet.
Death and destruction swept through Texas Hill Country on Friday as torrential rains unleashed catastrophic flooding, leading to multiple fatalities and triggering urgent boat rescues.
Death and destruction swept through Texas Hill Country on Friday as torrential rains unleashed catastrophic flooding, leading to multiple fatalities and triggering urgent boat rescues.
Windy.com
Texas Floods: Thunderstorms Live Tracker Map
NWS Warns Texans About Moving Water, Potential Damage
Recreational users of the river have been urged to clear out immediately, as the swift, turbulent flow creates extremely hazardous conditions. "Recreationalists should evacuate the riverbanks because of dangerous turbulent flow," the advisory states. Sections of Guadalupe River State Park are also expected to suffer damage, including picnic tables, trash receptacles, and equipment located in low-lying areas. The NWS further warned that homes at the lowest elevations in Kendall County near Canyon Lake are at risk of flooding.
Residents are being urged to exercise extreme caution. The NWS reiterated the life-threatening danger of attempting to cross flooded roads or walk through rising waters. "Turn around, don't drown," the agency cautioned, noting that most flood-related deaths occur in vehicles. Just six inches of fast-moving water is enough to knock an adult off their feet, and two feet can sweep away most cars.
Texas Floods: Thunderstorm Forecast
Texas Rescue Workers Search Floodwaters
Emergency crews carried out dozens of rescues as floodwaters surged across Texas Hill Country, with search operations ongoing amid reports of missing persons. Families with children and relatives attending local summer camps anxiously sought updates, desperate for news as the flooding placed loved ones in danger.
Rob Kelly, the county's chief elected official, confirmed that the flooding had resulted in multiple fatalities and numerous water rescues. However, he declined to provide exact figures, stating he had been advised against doing so while authorities continue efforts to identify the victims.
"Most of them, we don't know who they are," Kelly said during a news conference. "One of them was completely naked, he didn't have any ID on him at all. We're trying to get the identity of these folks, but we don't have it yet."
Texas Floods: Rain Accumulation
What Happens Next
The flood warning remains in effect until just before 1 a.m. Sunday morning, with further updates expected by 5 a.m. Friday. Residents can stay informed by visiting www.weather.gov or tuning into local news alerts. In the meantime, those living along the Guadalupe River are advised to prepare for possible evacuation and to move to higher ground at the first sign of rising water.
Emergency responders and local officials are monitoring the situation closely, as saturated soil and continued rainfall could exacerbate flooding. With many Texans traveling or vacationing over the Fourth of July weekend, officials are especially concerned about people underestimating the risks near waterways.
This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.
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The danger was not over as at least one flash flood warning remained in effect in central Texas on Sunday. Searchers used helicopters, boats and drones to look for victims and to rescue people stranded in trees and from camps isolated by washed-out roads. Gov. Greg Abbott vowed that authorities will work around the clock and said new areas were being searched as the water receded. He declared Sunday a day of prayer for the state. "I urge every Texan to join me in prayer this Sunday — for the lives lost, for those still missing, for the recovery of our communities, and for the safety of those on the front lines,' he said in a statement. Pope Leo XIV offered special prayers for those touched by the disaster. History's first American pope spoke in English at the end of his Sunday noon blessing, 'I would like to express sincere condolences to all the families who have lost loved ones, in particular their daughters who were in summer camp, in the disaster caused by the flooding of the Guadalupe River in Texas in the United States. We pray for them.' Authorities were coming under scrutiny over whether the camps and residents in places long vulnerable to flooding received proper warning and whether enough preparations were made. The hills along the Guadalupe River are dotted with century-old youth camps and campgrounds where generations of families have come to swim and enjoy the outdoors. The area is especially popular around the Independence Day holiday, making it more difficult to know how many are missing. 'We don't even want to begin to estimate at this time,' Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said earlier. Raging storm hit the camp in the middle of the night 'The camp was completely destroyed,' said Elinor Lester, 13, one of hundreds of campers. 'A helicopter landed and started taking people away. It was really scary.' The raging storm, fueled by massive amounts of moisture, woke up her cabin just after midnight Friday. When rescuers arrived, they tied a rope for the girls to hold as they walked across a bridge with water whipping around their legs, she said. Frantic parents and families posted photos of missing loved ones and pleas for information. Among those confirmed dead were an 8-year-old girl from Mountain Brook, Alabama, who was at Camp Mystic, and the director of another camp up the road. The flooding in the middle of the night caught many residents, campers and officials by surprise. 'These warnings should have provided officials with ample time to evacuate camps such as Camp Mystic and get people to safety,' AccuWeather said in a statement. It called the Hill Country one of the most flash-flood-prone areas of the U.S. because of its terrain and many water crossings. At the Mo-Ranch Camp in the community of Hunt, officials had been monitoring the weather and opted to move several hundred campers and attendees at a church youth conference to higher ground. At nearby Camps Rio Vista and Sierra Vista, organizers also had mentioned on social media that they were watching the weather the day before ending their second summer session Thursday. Authorities and elected officials have said they did not expect such an intense downpour, the equivalent of months' worth of rain for the area. U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, whose district includes the ravaged area, called it a once-in-a-century flood and acknowledged that there would be second-guessing and finger-pointing as people look for someone to blame. 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The county had considered a flood warning system on the river similar to a tornado warning siren about six or seven years ago, but Kelly said the idea never got off the ground and the cost would have been an issue. Kelly said he was heartbroken seeing body bags at the funeral home and the devastation on the ground during a helicopter tour. 'The rescue has gone as well as can be expected. It's getting time now for the recovery,' he said. 'And that's going to be a long, toilsome task for us.' ___
