Texas Flood: Death Toll Climbs to 131 as Fresh Storm Threat Looms
The devastating Texas flood has now claimed 131 lives, with more storms forecast to hit the region already reeling from destruction.
Authorities are bracing for yet another bout of torrential rain, just 10 days after the Fourth of July flash flood turned the peaceful Guadalupe River into a death trap.
A flood watch has been issued by the National Weather Service, warning of downpours that could dump up to half a foot of rain over central Texas. The alert spans from the Rio Grande to San Antonio and Austin, including the hard-hit Hill Country.
Kerr County remains one of the worst-affected. Its communities are still picking up the pieces after floodwaters swept through homes, businesses, and even a Christian summer camp for girls in Hunt.
The riverside retreat, Camp Mystic, was engulfed in the early hours of July 4, tragically claiming the lives of many young campers.
“About a third of the Kerr County fatalities are children, most of whom perished at Camp Mystic when floodwaters raged through the girls-only summer retreat before dawn on July 4.”
As water levels rise again, residents along the river have been urged to move to higher ground. Search teams combing the banks have been temporarily pulled back due to the risk of fresh flooding. The hunt for further victims remains on hold.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott confirmed the rising death toll in a press briefing on Monday.
“Storms had claimed at least 131 lives in Texas since July 4, the bulk of those deaths in and around Kerrville, up from 120 reported on Friday.”
The number of people still unaccounted for has dropped from over 160 last week to 97. But the emotional toll is growing heavier by the day.
Officials are yet to rescue any survivors since the morning of the catastrophe, when more than 12 inches of rain fell in under an hour. That rainfall pummelled the very heart of what’s known locally as “flash flood alley”, sending a powerful surge through the Guadalupe River basin.
“Authorities have not rescued anyone alive since the day of the floods, when more than a foot of rain fell in less than an hour in the heart of a region known as ‘flash flood alley,’ sending a deadly wall of water down the Guadalupe River basin.”
Governor Abbott also announced a special legislative session will convene later this month to look into the state’s preparedness, response efforts, and the flood’s broader impact.
“Abbott said state lawmakers would investigate the circumstances of the flooding, disaster preparedness and emergency response to the flooding at a special legislative session set to convene later this month.”
Public scrutiny is mounting. The sheer scale of the loss — one of the deadliest flood events in recent US history — has raised serious concerns about the region’s alert systems.
In particular, the lack of flash-flood sirens in Kerr County is under fire. Critics also point to staffing shortages at the National Weather Service, vacancies left unfilled during previous federal budget cuts.
This is a crisis with more than one wave. And for Texas, the danger isn’t over yet.
