The flash flood occurred in the early morning of July 4 (local time) in Kerr County, after heavy rain of 250mm of rain fell in just a few hours, causing the Guadalupe River to overflow and create a violent floodwaters sweeping through the small town of Hunt. This is also the site of the Camp Mystic summer camp with 750 children - the location that suffered the most damage during this natural disaster.
We have confirmed 37 deaths, including 14 children, said Mr. Larry Leitha, Kerr County Sheriff. The bodies of 32 people have been found".
About 36 hours after the flood, authorities have yet to say how many people are missing besides the 27 children from the Mystic summer camp.
This flash flood happened so quickly, in less than two hours, said Dalton Rice, manager of the nearby city of Kerrville. Even weather radar could not warn in time. We do not have time to issue evacuation orders.
The Guadalupe River Valley is known as the most dangerous flood valley in the United States. However, according to Rob Kelly, chief judge of Kerr County there is no reason to think it would be so terrible. There are absolutely no warning signs.
Rescue forces have evacuated 237 people, of which 167 were rescued by helicopters from floodwaters. Dozens of search teams are still crossing the muddy and rubble, trying to find missing people, especially a group of girls from the summer camp swept away by water.
Texas authorities have warned that heavy rain will continue for the next 24-48 hours, extending from San Antonio to Waco. Deputy Governor Dan Patrick emphasized: The risk of flash floods is still very high. We call on people not to be subjective, to prepare to evacuate if necessary".
Texas has often suffered from flash floods due to heavy rains, but this disaster is particularly serious because it happened in the summer, when thousands of children participated in outdoor summer camps.
In August 2022, the Dallas-Fort worth region was submerged in water, killing many people and causing serious damage to infrastructure.
Now, in the panic and mourning that engulfed Kerr County, Texans are struggling to cope with one of the most catastrophic natural disasters of the summer. The list of victims has not stopped, and the rain has not stopped.
