Catastrophic Floods Kill 81 in Central Texas, Including 28 Children
By Yuming Chen
Kerr County, Texas — Catastrophic flash floods struck central Texas over the July 4 weekend, killing at least 81 people—including 28 children—and leaving dozens missing, officials said Monday. Most of the fatalities—68—occurred in Kerr County, in the Texas Hill Country northwest of San Antonio.
The floods devastated Camp Mystic, a nearly century‑old girls’ summer camp with about 750 campers. Among the victims were nine‑year‑old Jane Hunt and the camp’s longtime director, Richard “Dick” Eastland, who was swept away while evacuating campers. Eastland had long advocated for flood‑warning systems—a cause he championed even as he lost his life.
A sudden downpour early Friday morning caused the in under an hour, later cresting near 37 feet, washing away cabins and trapping residents. Emergency crews rescued more than 850 people using helicopters, boats, trucks, and horses. One Coast Guard swimmer was credited with saving 165 individuals.
CBS News
Despite the large‑scale rescue efforts, at least a dozen people remain unaccounted for. Governor Greg Abbott pledged to continue search operations until every missing person is found. On Sunday, President Trump issued a federal disaster declaration, authorizing funding for emergency housing, road, and infrastructure repairs, and low‑interest loans.
Critics say warning systems failed the community. The National Weather Service issued a flash‑flood emergency just after 4 a.m., deeming it “particularly dangerous,” but warnings came too late. Observers cited staffing shortages at the NWS and the absence of outdoor sirens or gauges in Kerr County, even though nearby Comfort, with a $60,000 siren system, reported no deaths. Kerr County had pursued $1 million in funding for a warning system in 2017 and 2018, but the effort stalled amid cost concerns and grant denials.
Further scrutiny focused on Camp Mystic’s placement: between 2013 and 2020, dozens of its structures were removed from FEMA’s 100‑year floodplain maps, enabling expansion closer to the river—a move now being questioned.
Search‑and‑rescue continues across a 100‑mile stretch along the Guadalupe River, deploying K‑9 units, drones, Navy SEALs, and over 2,000 volunteers from across the U.S. and Mexico. FEMA and local agencies have opened recovery centers and mental‑health support lines.
Local and state leaders are calling for new flood-preparedness legislation, and the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country has already raised over $30 million to aid affected families.
