By Emily Herr

The Scoop Digital Newspaper: July 2025

KERRVILLE, Texas (July 5, 2025) – The heart of Texas is reeling today after a monstrous flash flood ripped through the scenic Hill Country, claiming the lives of at least 32 people, including 14 children, and leaving dozens more unaccounted for. The devastation, which unfolded in the pre-dawn hours of Friday, July 4th, caught many residents and holiday campers by surprise as a wall of water surged down the Guadalupe River, transforming serene landscapes into a chaotic torrent.

The majority of the fatalities and missing persons are concentrated in Kerr County, particularly along the Guadalupe River. Among the hardest hit was Camp Mystic, a century-old Christian summer camp for girls near Hunt, where at least 23 girls remain missing from the approximately 750 campers present. Eyewitness accounts from survivors paint a harrowing picture of the rapid onset of the floodwaters. The Guadalupe River rose an astonishing 26 feet in just 45 minutes, with one river gauge recording a 22-foot rise in two hours before failing at nearly 30 feet.

Survivors recount terrifying escapes, clinging to trees and seeking refuge on rooftops as their homes were engulfed. Erin Burgess of Ingram described her home filling with water in minutes, forcing her and her son to cling to a tree for an agonizing hour. “Thankfully he’s over 6 feet tall. That’s the only thing that saved me,” she said of her teenage son.

The speed and ferocity of the flood left little time for warnings. Many residents, including Matthew Stone of Kerrville, reported receiving no emergency alerts on their phones. Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly admitted the area lacks a comprehensive warning system and stated, “Rest assured, no one knew this kind of flood was coming.” Officials have acknowledged that the rainfall far exceeded forecasts, with some areas receiving more than 10 inches overnight, a significant portion of the region’s annual rainfall in a matter of hours.

Search and rescue efforts are ongoing, with hundreds of personnel on the ground, utilizing helicopters, boats, and drones to comb through the debris-strewn riverbanks and isolated areas. The U.S. Coast Guard has joined the efforts, conducting numerous air rescues. While hundreds have been safely evacuated, the emotional toll is immense, with families desperately seeking news of their missing loved ones at reunification centers.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has declared a disaster for several affected counties and pledged full state support for the ongoing search and rescue missions and recovery efforts. U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also visited the devastated area, affirming President Trump’s commitment to honor the federal disaster declaration.

The Texas Hill Country, known as “flash flood alley,” due to its unique geography of steep slopes and thin soil, is particularly vulnerable to such events. As search teams continue their painstaking work, the community faces the grim reality of a long and challenging recovery from this catastrophic natural disaster. The confirmed death toll of 32 stands as a stark reminder of the destructive power of flash floods, which remain the nation’s leading cause of storm-related fatalities.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Scoop Digital Newspaper
thescoop@writeme.com