A deadly 1987 flood scarred the same Texas county that is reeling through another disaster
The Heart O' the Hills camp is on the Guadalupe River, where a massive search continues for more than 160 people who are believed to still be missing after catastrophic flooding over the July Fourth holiday. Decades earlier, Manley said there was an informal system in place when the river started rising: camps upstream would call down a warning and then get kids out of their bunks and to higher ground.
During the flood of 1987, Manley recalled a floating canoe injuring camp director Jane Ragsdale. But Ragsdale, 68, was among the more the than 100 victims who died in the flooding that began July 4, many of them in Kerr County.
'This water, it did something different,' Manley said. 'Jane knows floods more than anybody else. There's no way she would have been sitting in her house if she had thought this was dangerous.'
It is at least the fifth time in the last century that flooding near the Guadalupe River has turned deadly. The area, which is known locally as 'Flash Flood Alley,' has hills that quickly gather water and funnel it into narrow river banks. Water rises fast, catching people by surprise.
Here is a look at the river's deadly history of flooding.
Frantic evacuations in 1987
This mid-July flood killed 10 teenagers and injured 33 others. Water overwhelmed the river and its tributaries, forcing hundreds to flee. At a Christian academy, buses evacuating children initially encountered modest flooding. While some vehicles turned around in time, a bus and van were stranded when the river rose rapidly.
As the children were trying to leave the stranded buses to safety, a 'wall of water, estimated to be as much as half a mile wide, rushed upon the campers,' according to a government report. It scattered the kids. A bus with Seagoville Road Baptist Church on the side was pictured slammed against tangled trees, at an angle and partly under water.
A deadly morning flood in 1978
The amount of rain was extraordinary – 30 inches fell on parts of the Hill Country between Aug. 1 and 3.
It killed 33 people. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the flooding that hit the Hill Country struck early in the morning, 'the worst possible time form the point of view of data collection, warning dissemination and community reaction.'
Heavy rains in the early 1990s
A large portion of the state flooded, killing at least 13 people and causing vast damage, especially to agriculture. Month after month of 1991 was wetter than normal. Then more than half of the state was hit with more than 4 inches (10 centimeters) of rain over a six-day period ahead of Christmas. That caused flooding not only in the Guadalupe basin but created what officials called 'one of the most voluminous floods recorded in the history of the State of Texas.'
___
Associated Press writer John Hanna contributed from Topeka, Kansas, and writer Albee Zhang contributed from Washington.
___
The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP's environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
Tough heat wave to develop across Maryland, storm chances increase
Our next heat wave of summer should begin today across much of Maryland. This will be the first 90-degree day of many through the middle of next week. The toughest stretch of this heat and humidity will come Friday through Tuesday with Friday and Tuesday obtaining the highest feels like temperatures. A major pattern change toward cooler and more comfortable weather will take place the second half of next week. So hang in there during this brutal heat wave, there is major relief that will be arriving by this time next week. Today's high temperatures will reach the lower 90s with heat index values topping out in the middle 90s. Humidity levels will continue to climb this afternoon into this evening. Despite the heat and humidity, the good news there won't be any thunderstorms to disrupt outdoor work or activities. Overnight lows tonight will not be as refreshing with temperatures only dipping down into the middle 70s. The WJZ First Alert Weather Team has issued First Alert Weather Days Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for the one-two punch of intense heat and possible afternoon and evening severe storms. Friday will be one of the toughest days of this upcoming heat wave. High temperatures are forecast to reach the upper 90s to near 100°. Tropical levels of humidity will make the heat feel even worse and possibly dangerous. Feels like temperatures will easily surpass 100° with some isolated locations reaching nearly 110°. The weekend will feature more brutal heat and tropical humidity. While weekend temperatures may not be as high as Friday with additional clouds and thunderstorms, the combination of higher humidity will offset temperatures being slightly cooler in the lower to middle 90s. This heat wave will continue right into the middle of next week with another round of dangerous heat likely Tuesday as highs climb into the middle to upper 90s with feels like temperatures reaching 105° or higher. The WJZ First Alert Weather Team has tagged Tuesday as a possible First Alert Weather Day for this brief round of potentially dangerous heat. Next Wednesday will be another hot and steamy day, but scattered strong thunderstorms that arrive later in the day should officially break this heat wave. Strong to severe thunderstorms will begin to form in this incredibly hot and muggy airmass starting Friday afternoon. The coverage of strong to severe storms will grow each day through Sunday. The storm threat should briefly end by Monday and Tuesday of next week. Friday afternoon and evening storm coverage should be isolated. More places than not will stay dry, but the best chance for a few powerful storms will be across northern and northeastern Maryland. The timeline would be after 3 p.m. through 11 p.m. Any storm could have intense cloud to ground lightning, blinding downpours, and pockets of damaging winds. As a weak boundary stalls across the area this weekend, additional thunderstorms will develop Saturday and Sunday afternoon and evening. During the weekend, the entire state is game for the possibility of strong to severe storms. Storms will produce copious amounts of clouds to ground lightning along with torrential downpours given the high tropical humidity levels and intense heat. Storm coverage on Saturday will be isolated to widely scattered. Numerous afternoon and evening strong thunderstorms are possible Sunday afternoon and evening. The jet stream position will favor a major pattern change for our area starting Thursday of next week and continuing through next weekend. The large and expansive heat dome will be pushed to our south and southwest allowing cooler air from Canada to put an end to the heat and humidity for at least several days. While it will be cooler late next week into next weekend, disturbances will spark off scattered showers and storms from time to time. Luckily none of the days look like washouts.


CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
Heat advisory in effect across North Texas on Thursday as "feels-like" temperatures could reach 105 degrees
North Texas is under its first heat advisory of the summer. Temperatures on Thursday could stay in the upper 90s but the heat index will bring "feels-like" temperatures to 105 degrees. A First Alert Weather Day is in effect due to the heat advisory. Expect the same forecast on Friday. A First Alert Weather Day was also issued for Friday due to the heat and likelihood of another heat advisory. By Saturday, clouds and humidity will increase, bringing the temperature down a little bit. The higher humidity on Saturday and Sunday will bring the "feels-like" temperatures to the same as today. The seven-day forecast shows the summer heat is in full swing. A heat advisory is issued for dangerous heat conditions that are not expected to reach warning criteria, according to the National Weather Service. When there is a heat advisory, consider postponing or rescheduling outdoor activities, especially during the heat of the day. When outside in the heat, take frequent water and shade breaks.


CBS News
2 hours ago
- CBS News
Transformer failure causes Chicago power outage in Belmont Cragin, ComEd says
A transformer failure on Chicago's Northwest Side caused several thousand residents to lose power overnight as temperatures struggled to dip below 80 degrees. The outage happened in the city's Belmont Cragin neighborhood. ComEd said a transformer "went bad" in the area of Diversey and Cicero, causing power outages in the neighborhood. Some residents were forced outside into a warm night to get a break from the heat inside their homes. Others went to their cars to have air conditioning. Still others left the area to find relief elsewhere. One neighbor said first the lights went out and then it started to heat up inside her home. ComEd crews were at the scene to get power back on for those customers and said power had been restored as of 5:30 a.m. Thursday. Chicago is under a Heat Advisory for dangerous temperatures and humidity today. Overnight, air temperatures barely got below 80 degrees in many areas, with humidity making it feel warmer. The city of Chicago and Cook County operate cooling centers that are free for all to access if they need air conditioning. Most locations open at 9 a.m.