Wow, so Texas — specifically the Hill Country around Kerr County and the Guadalupe River — got absolutely hammered early on July 4. We’re talking flash floods caused by 10–15 inches of rain in just a few hours, maybe even more in spots, drowning riverbanks and rattling everyone awake in the dead of night.
At least 24 people have died, and yeah, that number could still change. But what’s really chilling is that about 23–25 girls from Camp Mystic, an all-girls summer camp right on the river, were still missing last night. Imagine the fear of parents waking up to that news.
The water levels shot up over 20–26 feet in under an hour, and one river gauge actually died under the pressure—ceasing to function because it was underwater. Yikes.
Local towns like Hunt, Ingram, Kerrville — it all just got slammed. Homes got flooded, RVs swept away, and people were climbing trees or paddling boats trying just to survive. One mom with her 5 year-old got evacuated to a high school gym in Comfort—just clutching a fruit cup in the chaos.
Rescue teams have been hustling. There are helicopters, drones, state dogs and boats, involving hundreds of responders. So far they’ve pulled about 237 folks to safety, 167 of them from helicopters, which is wild. They’ve even set up shelters and reunification centers for families looking for loved ones.
State leadership is stepping in—Governor Abbott signed an emergency declaration and sent in Texas A&M, swift water teams, the National Guard, you name it. There’s talk of federal help too—President Trump said aid’s on the way and it’s “terrible,” “shocking,” and all that.
But here’s a really tough part: there was no early warning system in Kerr County. The sheriff straight up admitted nobody saw this mega flood coming. And the weather service only called for 3–6 inches of rain—not the 10–15 inches that actually fell. So many survivors talk about being hit by a “pitch black wall of death.”
And it’s not just lives—summer camps, local businesses, the whole vibe of the Hill Country is shook. River tourism, cabins, historic camps—they’re all taking a hit.
It’s a mess. Devastating. Emotional. And it really makes you think: how do you even prepare for something like 20 feet of water in an hour? How do you warn someone fast enough?