04.07.2025 21:52
Devastating floods in central Texas have claimed at least thirteen lives and left approximately twenty young girls from a summer camp unaccounted for. The Guadalupe River, swollen to near-record levels by torrential downpours, is at the heart of this tragedy.
Hundreds are actively involved in the search for survivors, focusing their efforts on Camp Mystic, situated along the river's edge. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick confirmed the staggering number of missing girls, highlighting the desperate urgency of the ongoing rescue operation. Rescue efforts continue, with Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly warning that the death toll is likely to climb as search and rescue teams comb through the ravaged area.
The catastrophic flooding resulted from exceptionally heavy rainfall—over ten inches in several locations between Thursday evening and Friday afternoon. This deluge overwhelmed the Guadalupe River, causing a dramatic surge of over thirty feet within a mere forty-five minutes. This unprecedented rise in water level reached the second-highest point ever recorded for the river, prompting multiple flash flood warnings across numerous counties. A flash flood emergency, particularly severe in Kerr County, remained in effect until 5 p.m. Central Time, although rainfall had begun to subside.
This tragic event underscores central Texas's vulnerability to flooding. Extended periods of drought often leave the soil parched and unable to absorb significant rainfall. In some areas, Friday's downpours delivered the equivalent of months' worth of precipitation in just a few hours. Hunt, for instance, experienced a one-in-a-hundred-year rainfall event, with six inches of rain falling within three hours. The confluence of these factors—prolonged drought, intense rainfall, and the proximity of the camp to the river—created a perfect storm of devastating consequences. The situation is further compounded by concurrent severe weather elsewhere, as evidenced by the multiple fatalities reported in central New Jersey due to thunderstorms and high winds. The search for the missing girls continues with hope diminishing as time passes.
