The death toll from catastrophic flooding across central Texas surged past 100 on Monday, as rescue crews continued searching for dozens of missing individuals swept away by flash floods over the July Fourth weekend. The disaster, centered along the Guadalupe River and particularly devastating to summer camps in Kerr County, has triggered renewed scrutiny over the area's lack of advanced flood warning systems.
Authorities confirmed that at least 104 people died in the floods, with 84 bodies recovered in Kerr County alone-28 of them children. Camp Mystic, a historic girls' summer camp located near the river in Hunt, reported the deaths of 27 campers and counselors. Ten additional children remain unaccounted for.
Floodwaters struck before dawn Friday, ripping through cabins and trailers, sweeping victims for miles, and depositing mattresses, coolers, and personal belongings along twisted piles of tree limbs. President Donald Trump signed a federal disaster declaration for Kerr County and said he will visit Texas on Friday. "This was a thing that happened in seconds. Nobody expected it," the president said Sunday.
Kerr County officials have faced growing criticism after reports surfaced that the county scrapped a proposed $1 million flood warning system in 2017, citing cost concerns. "It was probably just, I hate to say the word priorities. Trying not to raise taxes," former commissioner Tom Moser told The Wall Street Journal. Officials had lost a federal grant for the system and ultimately chose not to self-fund it.
The abandoned plan would have included river gauges, sirens, and modern communication tools along the Guadalupe River's notorious "Flash Flood Alley." Experts say such a system, even a basic one, could have saved lives. "A really basic one that is probably close to a must-have... would be a NOAA weather radio," said Nick Bassill, director of the New York State Weather Risk Communication Center. "You'll be woken up by a sort of jarring alert... a really obvious kind of low-cost solution."
NOAA radios retail for as little as $20. But the area's poor cellular coverage meant warnings issued via mobile alerts or weather apps may not have reached residents or campers in time. The National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings early Friday and upgraded to a rare flash flood emergency as conditions worsened. Nonetheless, some residents said they received no alerts.
Officials in Kerrville said further investigation into the alert systems and evacuation failures will begin once rescue operations are complete. "We definitely want to dive in and look at all those things," said Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice. "We're looking forward to doing that once we can get the search and rescue complete."
Among those lost were two 8-year-old sisters from Dallas attending Camp Mystic and a former soccer coach and his wife staying at a riverfront property. Their daughters are still missing. In surrounding counties-Travis, Burnet, Kendall, Tom Green, and Williamson-at least 19 deaths were reported.
Emergency efforts continue with more than 1,000 volunteers deployed to Kerr County. On Monday, a drone operated illegally by a private citizen collided with a rescue helicopter, forcing an emergency landing and temporarily grounding the aircraft.
