What to know about the flash floods in Texas that killed nearly 70 people
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
At least 59 people in Kerr County, and eight elsewhere in central Texas were confirmed dead as of Sunday morning.
In Kerr County, 38 of the victims dead were adults and 21 were children, including 16 girls recovered from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along the river. Eleven more girls were still unaccounted for.
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.
AP photographers have captured the scale of the destruction, and one of Texas' largest rescue and recover efforts.
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Hamilton Spectator
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The places where deadly Texas floodwaters have killed at least 70 people
Search teams are using helicopters, boats and drones to look for victims in flash floods that have torn across central Texas since the at the start of the July Fourth weekend. At least 70 people have died and many more are still missing, including at least 11 girls from a summer camp. At the center of the tragedy is the scenic Texas Hill Country, where volunteers and some families of the missing have searched the riverbanks despite being asked not to do so. Authorities in surrounding areas closer to Austin, the state capital, have also recovered victims from floodwaters. Here's a look at the known toll of dead and missing. Texas Hill Country Flash floods striking with the force to rip away concrete slabs and giant trees tore across Guadalupe River banks dotted with children's camps and campgrounds. Kerr County authorities had confirmed at least 59 deaths as of Sunday and said they had no way to total the number of missing across the county, the hardest-hit by the floods. Among Kerr County's confirmed dead are at least 21 children. The missing campers were from Camp Mystic, a riverside Christian camp for girls in Hunt, Texas. Travis County Four people were confirmed killed, as flash floods along creeks carried away homes, trailers, cars and people in the northwest portion of the county. Travis County Judge Andy Brown, the top executive of the county, said Sunday that some 50 people have been rescued by helicopter, in boats, and on foot. They've also sent resources to Kerr County, knowing that it was harder hit. While a flood watch remains in effect, officials say they have neutralized the initial emergency. 'Now we're going to be moving into recovery,' said Eric Carter, chief Emergency Management Coordinator for Travis County. Burnet County Authorities in the largely rural county, which borders Travis County, reported three dead and five people missing in floodwaters that surged out of Cow Creek and other waterways. Other victims Two deaths were reported in Kendall County, and there was one death each in Tom Green and Williamson counties. In Williamson County, in the north suburbs of Austin, the U.S. military at nearby Fort Hood helped evacuate 16 people people from a home for disabled children, County Judge Steve Snell said. The victim in Tom Green County was a woman whose body was found outside her submerged car in the city of San Angelo. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
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What to know about the flash floods in Texas that killed nearly 70 people
KERRVILLE, Texas — Flash floods in Texas killed dozens and left an unknown number of July Fourth visitors and campers missing, including many girls attending Camp Mystic. 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.
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23 minutes ago
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The places where deadly Texas floodwaters have killed at least 70 people
Search teams are using helicopters, boats and drones to look for victims in flash floods that have torn across central Texas since the at the start of the July Fourth weekend. At least 70 people have died and many more are still missing, including at least 11 girls from a summer camp. At the center of the tragedy is the scenic Texas Hill Country, where volunteers and some families of the missing have searched the riverbanks despite being asked not to do so. Authorities in surrounding areas closer to Austin, the state capital, have also recovered victims from floodwaters. Here's a look at the known toll of dead and missing. Texas Hill CountryFlash floods striking with the force to rip away concrete slabs and giant trees tore across Guadalupe River banks dotted with children's camps and campgrounds. Kerr County authorities had confirmed at least 59 deaths as of Sunday and said they had no way to total the number of missing across the county, the hardest-hit by the floods. Among Kerr County's confirmed dead are at least 21 children. The missing campers were from Camp Mystic, a riverside Christian camp for girls in Hunt, Texas. Travis County Four people were confirmed killed, as flash floods along creeks carried away homes, trailers, cars and people in the northwest portion of the county. Travis County Judge Andy Brown, the top executive of the county, said Sunday that some 50 people have been rescued by helicopter, in boats, and on foot. They've also sent resources to Kerr County, knowing that it was harder hit. While a flood watch remains in effect, officials say they have neutralized the initial emergency. 'Now we're going to be moving into recovery,' said Eric Carter, chief Emergency Management Coordinator for Travis County. Burnet County Authorities in the largely rural county, which borders Travis County, reported three dead and five people missing in floodwaters that surged out of Cow Creek and other waterways. Other victims Two deaths were reported in Kendall County, and there was one death each in Tom Green and Williamson counties. In Williamson County, in the north suburbs of Austin, the U.S. military at nearby Fort Hood helped evacuate 16 people people from a home for disabled children, County Judge Steve Snell said. The victim in Tom Green County was a woman whose body was found outside her submerged car in the city of San Angelo.
