A Fourth of July holiday turned tragic in Texas as catastrophic flash floods swept through Kerr County and surrounding areas, killing at least 82 people and leaving dozens more missing, including children from a popular summer camp along the Guadalupe River.
The disaster has triggered a massive search-and-rescue operation, growing scrutiny over delayed warnings, and urgent questions about disaster preparedness in one of America’s most flood-prone regions.
A Disaster Unleashed Overnight
The deadly floods struck in the early hours of Friday morning, as most residents and holiday campers were still asleep. Within minutes, a torrential storm dumped up to 12 inches (30 cm) of rain, sending walls of water crashing into the Texas Hill Country a region known for its susceptibility to flash flooding due to its rocky, thin-soiled terrain.
The Guadalupe River surged by an astonishing 26 feet (8 meters) in just 45 minutes. By the time emergency alerts were issued around 4 a.m., many found themselves already engulfed.
“We got no warning,” said one survivor. “It was a pitch-black wall of death.”
Rising Death Toll and Heartbreak at Camp Mystic
Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha confirmed that 68 bodies have been recovered in the county alone — including 28 children. With additional fatalities reported in nearby counties, the statewide death toll climbed to 82 by Sunday evening.
Authorities said 41 people are officially unaccounted for across Texas, though the number may be higher due to the influx of holiday visitors.
Among the most heartbreaking cases is Camp Mystic, a well-known Christian summer camp where at least 10 girls and a counselor remain missing. For past campers, the site is a cherished childhood memory. Today, it’s the epicenter of a grim search effort.
Volunteers and first responders have scoured riverbanks and debris fields throughout the weekend. Emotional reunions and devastating losses continue to unfold at makeshift shelters and reunification centers across Hunt and Ingram.
Anger Over Delayed Warnings and Lack of Evacuation Orders
Officials are now facing increasing criticism over the apparent delay in emergency alerts and lack of preemptive evacuations. Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly defended the response, calling the event a “100-year flood” no one could have predicted.
“This came in the middle of the night. No one saw it coming,” Kelly told reporters. “The storm zeroed in after dark and accelerated rapidly.”
But critics say the region’s failure to adopt stronger flood alert infrastructure — despite previous proposals — has had fatal consequences. Officials had reportedly pitched a more robust warning system modeled after tornado alerts, but the public balked at the cost.
On Sunday, county officials walked out of a press briefing when pressed about the warning delays.
Meteorologists added that while the storm was extreme, the warming atmosphere due to climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of such events. “A warmer planet holds more moisture,” one forecaster noted. “When storms form, they drop more water — faster and harder.”
Lives Uprooted, Communities in Ruins
The flash floods razed entire neighborhoods, tore homes from foundations, and erased campgrounds along the river’s edge. Aerial footage showed debris-strewn streets and shattered structures, with cars lodged in trees and bridges mangled by the raging current.
“It’s going to be a long time before we’re ever able to clean it up, much less rebuild,” said Judge Kelly.
Local churches, including Hunt Baptist Church, have mobilized to distribute food and aid, with parishioners sorting through piles of donated supplies. Community foundations have launched fundraising drives to support survivors and the long-term rebuilding effort.
National Attention Grows
President Donald Trump announced he plans to visit the flood-ravaged zone on Friday, bringing further national attention to what may be one of the deadliest flash flood disasters in Texas history.
As search crews continue working along the muddy riverbanks, the full scope of the tragedy is still unfolding and for many families, answers are still out of reach.
Suomi 
English 