What to know about the flash floods in Texas that killed at more than 80 people
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Flash floods in Texas killed at least 82 people over the Fourth of July holiday weekend and left others still missing, including girls attending a summer camp. The devastation along the Guadalupe River, outside of San Antonio, has drawn a massive search effort as officials face questions over their preparedness and the speed of their initial actions.Here's what to know about the deadly flooding, the colossal weather system that drove it in and around Kerr County, Texas, and ongoing efforts to identify victims.Massive rain hit at just the wrong time, in a flood-prone place The floods grew to their worst at the midpoint of a long holiday weekend when many people were asleep.The Texas Hill Country in the central part of the state is naturally prone to flash flooding due to the dry dirt-packed areas where the soil lets rain skid along the surface of the landscape instead of soaking it up. Friday's flash floods started with a particularly bad storm that dropped most of its 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain in the dark early morning hours.After a flood watch notice midday Thursday, the National Weather Service office issued an urgent warning around 4 a.m. that raised the potential of catastrophic damage and a severe threat to human life. By at least 5:20 a.m., some in the Kerrville City area say water levels were getting alarmingly high. The massive rain flowing down hills sent rushing water into the Guadalupe River, causing it to rise 26 feet (8 meters) in just 45 minutes.Death toll is expected to rise and the number of missing is uncertain Gov. Greg Abbott said Sunday that there were 41 people confirmed to be unaccounted for across the state and more could be missing.In Kerr County, home to youth camps in the Texas Hill Country, searchers have found the bodies of 68 people, including 28 children, Sheriff Larry Leitha said Sunday afternoon. Fatalities in nearby counties brought the total number of deaths to 79 as of Sunday evening.Ten girls and a counselor were still unaccounted for at Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along the river.For past campers, the tragedy turned happy memories into grief.Beyond the Camp Mystic campers unaccounted for, the number of missing from other nearby campgrounds and across the region had not been released."We don't even want to begin to estimate at this time," Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said Saturday, citing the likely influx of visitors during the July Fourth holiday.Officials face scrutiny over flash flood warnings Survivors have described the floods as a "pitch black wall of death" and said they received no emergency warnings.Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, who lives along the Guadalupe River, said Saturday that " nobody saw this coming." Various officials have referred to it as a "100-year-flood," meaning that the water levels were highly unlikely based on the historical record.And records behind those statistics don't always account for human-caused climate change. Though it's hard to connect specific storms to a warming planet so soon after they occur, meteorologists say that a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture and allow severe storms to dump even more rain.Additionally, officials have come under scrutiny about why residents and youth summer camps along the river were not alerted sooner than 4 a.m. or told to evacuate.Officials noted that the public can grow weary from too many flooding alerts or forecasts that turn out to be minor.Kerr county officials said they had presented a proposal for a more robust flood warning system, similar to a tornado warning system, but that members of the public reeled at the cost.On Sunday, officials walked out of a news briefing after reporters asked them again about delays in alerts and evacuations.Monumental clearing and rebuilding effort The flash floods have erased campgrounds and torn homes from their foundations."It's going to be a long time before we're ever able to clean it up, much less rebuild it," Kelly said Saturday after surveying the destruction from a helicopter.Other massive flooding events have driven residents and business owners to give up, including in areas struck last year by Hurricane Helene.President Donald Trump said he would likely visit the flood zone on Friday.
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NDTV
44 minutes ago
- NDTV
"Bodies On Trees, Fish Rotting On Banks": Scenes Of Flood Destruction In Texas
Texas: The search and rescue teams plodded through mud-laden riverbanks and flew aircraft over the flood-stricken landscape of central Texas in the United States for a fourth day on Monday, searching for scores of people still missing after the flash floods claimed nearly 80 lives. Most of the deaths from Friday's flash floods were concentrated in the riverfront Hill Country in Texas's Kerrville, where at least 68 people died, including 28 children, according to authorities. The predawn torrential downpours, starting the night before the Independence Day holiday, caused the Guadalupe River to transform into a raging, killer torrent that ran directly through Kerrville, wreaking havoc. The river rose to the height of a two-story building in less than an hour, flooding several children's camps, tearing down trees and tossing cars as if they were toys. Cries For Help As the raging river burst its banks and washed her house, a young woman named Joyce Bandon sent a text message that may have been her last. Bandon and three friends had gone to a country house to spend the July 4 holiday together. Her SOS message triggered a frantic search effort, according to Louis Deppe, leader of a group of volunteers trying to help the Bandon family find their daughter. "Their house collapsed at about 4 in the morning and they were being washed away. On her cellphone, the last message (her family) got was 'we're being washed away' and the phone went dead," Deppe told news agency AFP. He said the team works in groups of two or three people as they look through the debris and detritus left behind by the deluge. "One of the bodies was 8 to 10 feet in a tree, surrounded by so much debris. Not one person could see it, so the more eyes, the better," he added. According to Texas Governor Greg Abbott, "Across the state, in all the areas affected by flooding, there are 41 known missing." In central Texas, some 17 helicopters joined the search for missing people, including ten girls and a counsellor from a riverside Christian summer camp where about 750 people had been staying when disaster struck. Blankets, teddy bears and other belongings at the camp were caked in mud, after windows in the cabins were shattered, apparently by the force of the water. A video surfaced on social media capturing the moment rescuers saved a woman clinging to a tree, who was dragged 20 miles down the Guadalupe River during the deadly Fourth of July floods. The 22-year-old woman was seen desperately clinging to the branches of a Cypress tree, several feet above the ground, as floodwaters rushed below her. She was rescued after a Centre Point homeowner heard her screaming for help and rushed to her aid, KEN5S reported. 🚨INCREDIBLE RESCUE / SURVIVAL STORY 🚨 A 22-year-old woman was rescued from a tree in Center Point, TX after she reportedly floated for more than 10 miles down the Guadalupe River from Ingram, TX. — Gage Goulding - KPRC 2 (@GageGoulding) July 5, 2025 Rescue Efforts Underway The river is returning to normal now, but visuals from Texas show there is utter destruction everywhere on the river banks, like a dead cow hanging from a tree, its head caught between two branches. A pickup trucks were seen lying upside down, while dozens of dead fish swept out of the water and began to rot and stink on the banks. Helicopters are still flying overhead looking for survivors or bodies while rescue teams in boats are riding up and down the river, and emergency officials are combing its banks. Little by little, debris like uprooted trees and ruined cars is being taken away. No Warning State emergency management officials had warned on Thursday, ahead of the July Fourth holiday, that parts of central Texas faced the possibility of heavy showers and flash floods based on National Weather Service Forecasts. But twice as much rain as was predicted ended up falling over two branches of the Guadalupe just upstream of the fork where they converge, sending all of that water racing into the single river channel where it slices through Kerrville, according to City Manager Dalton Rice.
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Texas to face more life-threatening floods? Warning issued amid disaster
The Texas governor warned on Sunday, July 6, that additional rounds of heavy rains lasting into Tuesday could lead to more life-threatening flooding. Places already saturated are more likely to get affected. KERRVILLE, TEXAS - JULY 06: In an aerial view, the sun sets over the Guadalupe River on July 06, 2025 in Kerrville, Texas. Heavy rainfall caused severe flooding along the Guadalupe River in central Texas, leaving more than 80 people reported dead./AFP (Photo by Brandon Bell / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)(Getty Images via AFP) This warning comes as crews are working to find more survivors, even though the outlook seems bleak. Authorities are facing growing questions about whether they had issued enough warnings in areas that have long been vulnerable to flooding. Questions are also being raised about whether enough preparations were made. Donald Trump signs major disaster declaration Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump signed a major disaster declaration for Kerr County on Sunday, activating the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to Texas. Trump said he might visit on Friday. "I would have done it today, but we'd just be in their way," he told reporters before boarding Air Force One back to Washington after spending the weekend at his golf club in Bedminster. "It's a horrible thing that took place, absolutely horrible." In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote, 'I just signed a Major Disaster Declaration for Kerr County, Texas, to ensure that our Brave First Responders immediately have the resources they need. These families are enduring an unimaginable tragedy, with many lives lost, and many still missing. The Trump Administration continues to work closely with State and Local Leaders. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem was on the ground yesterday with Governor Greg Abbott, who is working hard to help the people of his Great State. Our incredible U.S. Coast Guard, together with State First Responders, have saved more than 850 lives. GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS!' Abbott has promised that authorities will work around the clock, and 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.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
UAE Ministry sends condolences and solidarity to U.S. after Texas flooding
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has expressed deep condolences and firm solidarity with the United States following the catastrophic flash floods that struck the state of Texas, claiming dozens of lives and leaving widespread devastation in their wake. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In an official statement, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) conveyed 'sincere condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims, as well as to the people and government of the United States.' The Ministry highlighted its support in light of the significant loss of life, several people reported missing, and the widespread destruction caused by the extreme weather. Earlier, the UAE Embassy in Washington, D.C., also issued a message of support. In a public statement, the embassy offered its assistance to 'those responding to the heartbreaking destruction' and expressed condolences for the 'tragic loss of life.' Disaster Unfolds in Texas: Rising Toll and Ongoing Search Efforts As of Sunday, July 6, 2025, the death toll from the severe flooding in Texas had climbed to at least 78, according to updated figures. Tragically, the victims include at least 28 children. The disaster prompted widespread evacuations, while search efforts continued into their third day, especially focused on girls missing from a summer camp. Earlier reports on June 6, 2025, put the confirmed death toll at 69, including 21 children, as cited by Reuters. That number has since increased as emergency teams recover more bodies and the extent of the destruction becomes clearer. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, speaking at a press conference on Sunday afternoon, said that the worst-hit area was Kerr County, where 59 deaths were recorded. 'Another 10 people died elsewhere in Texas,' he stated, adding that 41 individuals remained missing at the time. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now These numbers may continue to rise as authorities assess the full impact of the flooding. Federal Response: Major Disaster Declared In response to the emergency, U.S. President Donald Trump officially declared a 'major disaster' for the state of Texas on July 6, invoking the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. The declaration enables the deployment of federal assistance to bolster local recovery efforts and provide aid to affected communities. This designation activates a wide range of federal resources, including support from FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), and opens up funding for temporary housing, home repairs, low-cost loans, and other programs to help individuals and businesses recover. An International Message of Compassion The UAE's statements of solidarity reflect the broader international response to the disaster. By publicly expressing condolences and pledging support for recovery and response teams, the UAE has joined other global leaders in extending compassion to those affected. The messages from both MoFA and the UAE Embassy in the U.S. underscore the importance of global unity in times of crisis. While Texas continues to battle against the aftermath of the floods, such gestures serve as reminders of shared humanity and the importance of international cooperation during disasters of this scale.
