Texas Floods: Tragedy, Response, and Lessons Learned
Reports of Tragic Losses
Texas has seen reports of dozy death which also note that many children are still missing.
The Night the Guadalupe River Rose
A on which we had very little warning the Guadalupe River rose to unprecedented levels early that Thursday morning of July 4th which turned what was supposed to be a joyous holiday into a terrible tragedy in Kerr, Travis and Burnet counties. By Saturday night it was reported that there were 52 dead out of which 15 were children in Kerr County alone, also reports out of the state put the death toll as high as 68 as other counties reported in and 11 campers missing as rescuers race time.
Texas’ flood response teams have rescued over 850 people from their cars in the river, out of their turned over RV’s and out of trees; also 27 girls from Camp Mystic are still missing which has prompted a round the clock search which is using dogs helicopters, drones, K-9 units and swift water rescue teams.
The river’s rise was astonishing: Gauges reported a 26 foot rise in just 45 minutes, which is the second highest crest on record for the Guadalupe. Local officials report that mostly people caught unawake which in turn left them little chance to get to higher ground during the flash flood emergency which was declared at 4:03 a.m.
Why Did the Texas Floods Hit So Hard?
Meteorologists term the Texas Hill Country “Flash-Flood Alley” because of the way steep canyons channel run off which in turn puts it into the rivers. Also that Thursday which was to be a normal one we had 15 inches of rain four months’ worth that fell in the night. Warmer Gulf moisture which was made worse by a storm front that wouldn’t move out, produced what scientists put out as a “one in a 1000 year” event. Also what we are seeing is that climate change is playing a role in these doomsday type of events as hotter air is holding more water which when it does fall does so in these catastrophic ways.
Debate is out in the open regarding the sufficiency of the flood warnings in Texas. The National Weather Service put out many alerts which which did go unheeded by many campers and tourists that were asleep or out enjoying the holiday. Staffing reductions at federal agencies has become a issue in politics; state emergency chief Nim Kidd reports that the models did not allow for identification of the local storms, while private meteorologists put forth that early evacuation may have saved lives.
Government Launches Large Scale Rescue and Relief Effort
Governor Greg Abbott which has expanded his disaster emergency proclamation to 20 counties also put out a request to President Donald Trump for federal help, we also see that he has said that “Texas will not rest until each missing person is accounted for”. Also at the scene we have Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem who joined Abbott in Kerrville and she reported that “we are bringing all the resources of the federal government to bear on this issue”. Also over 1,000 first responders which include local fire departments, the Texas Division of Emergency Management, the U.S. Coast Guard and also volunteer groups are going through riverside areas which are full of ruined trees, debris and destroyed cabins.
State authorities report that search and rescue still is the main priority we are to treat every missing camper as if they are alive until found. Also reports from county judges that they have put in place curfews, closed off low water crossings and are asking drivers to live by the motto “Turn Around, Don’t Drown.
Federal Disaster Aid, Insurance and Rebuilding
At the start of the FEMA reports which detailed millions in damage to roads, bridges and camp facilities. Homeowners without flood insurance are to bear large losses; in Kerrville the city manager reported that many riverside cabins are in FEMA’s high risk zone but do not have coverage. As they develop rebuild plans it is also noted that projection which put forward by FEMA that extreme rainfall in Texas may grow by 10 more percent by 2036.
Social Media Reactions: Heartbreak, Heroism, and Hard Questions
As traditional warning sirens broke out in the night, social media became the real time hub of the Texas floods coverage. A post by @AJEnglish which put out “Texas floods death toll goes up to 27 as we search for missing children” went viral which in turn gained 22,000 retweets within hours which in turn amplified reports of the missing. Also Governor Abbott’s live stream press conference which had hundreds of thousands of views, also at the same time Facebook communities filled with pictures of missing loved ones, posts of spare rooms for evacuees and requests for experienced kayak volunteers.
Local authorities also did so. Rep. Chip Roy spoke up for the coordinated effort between state, local and federal entities which we saw in the form of video of Coast Guard airlifts that got 4 million views in 24 hours. At the same time parents of missing girls were after answers, they used the hashtag #hyNoEvacuation to bring to light that which they saw as inaction why camps in a known flood plain were not cleared at the first sign of warning.
Communities Rising Up and Getting Ready for the Next Storm
As news of the Texas floods takes over the world’s media reports, in the Hill Country residents are reporting back on what they are doing to prepare for the future. In Kerrville they have put in motion a review of floodplain maps, emergency alert systems and camp permit rules. Hydrologists are pushing for the installation of more river gauges and a wider use of cell tower based Wireless Emergency Alerts which did not go off this time.
Non profit organizations like Texas Baptist Men and Team Rubicon have established food banks and debris removal teams. At the reunitation [reunification] centers mental health counselors are there to help trauma affected families with grief. Donations of water, diapers and cleaning products are flooding into local churches, also GoFundMe pages for individual victims total over $2 million.
Lessons for Tourists and Summer Camps
Statewide camp operators are going over emergency action plans. Experts recommend:
- Mandatory weather radios in every cabin.
- Night time staff that are in charge of warnings.
- Within a five minute walk.
- Parent warning systems which send out at the same time SMS, email and app notifications.
Outlook: Caution as Rain Continues
Forecasting that which we are seeing is saturated soil and swollen rivers which in turn means even moderate rain could set off more Texas flooding this week. As search teams go through every curve of the Guadalupe at the same time weather men are reporting in on additional storms moving north out of the Gulf. We ask that residents keep their cell phones charged, sign up for local emergency notifications and stay away from camp sites in flood prone canyons until we see a turn for the better.
Texas is known for it’s rugged self sufficiency, yet the 2025 Texas floods put to test that which we thought we could control. From better forecasts to wiser land use and stronger infrastructure we move forward together we do so in honor of the affected in the Hill Country that we may weather the next storm better as a community.
