Deadly Texas flash floods kill 70, leave 12 children missing in ‘wall of water’ disaster

A “pitch-black wall of death” flooded central Texas early July 4th, killing at least 70 people after the Guadalupe River exploded 26 feet higher in just 45 minutes. The disaster hit hardest in Kerr County, where 59 died, including 21 children swept away from riverside summer camps. 

Guadalupe River rose 26 feet in 45 minutes as campers slept

Rain poured down so fast that families sleeping in cabins and campers had no time to escape. 

One survivor described clinging to a tree for hours as water ripped through his grandmother’s home: “I had to swim through the window just to survive” . The flooding smashed buildings, washed away roads, and trapped hundreds who needed helicopter rescues. 

Camp Mystic, a Christian girls’ camp, suffered the worst tragedy. Floodwaters drowned 16 young campers in cabins near the river, while 11 girls and one counselor remain missing three days later.

Camp owner Richard “Dick” Eastland died trying to save children, according to witnesses. 

Heartbreaking stories emerged: 8-year-old Renee Smajstrla’s family confirmed her death, saying she was “having the time of her life” at camp just hours earlier. 

Sisters Blair (13) and Brooke Harber (11) died while staying with their grandparents, who are still missing. Helicopters evacuated 750 campers, but many cabins were found filled with mud, mattresses tossed like toys.

Rescuers are still searching flooded areas with drones, helicopters, and boats. Over 1,700 workers have saved 850 people since Friday – some found clinging to trees or rooftops. But hope fades as the mission shifts from rescue to recovery. President Trump approved federal disaster aid for Kerr County after Governor Greg Abbott begged for help. 

Rain continues to hamper searches, with up to 10 more inches forecast . Volunteers from groups like World Central Kitchen are feeding families waiting for news at evacuation centers. “What these families are going through is pure hell,” said Kentucky’s governor, whose state faced similar floods in 2022. 

Officials admit no flood warning system existed as criticism grows

Officials face anger over why no warnings came. Kerr County admitted it has no flood alert system, with Judge Rob Kelly stating: “Nobody saw this coming”. 

Though the National Weather Service issued flood watches, many residents got no phone alerts. 

Critics blame the Trump administration’s cuts to weather agencies for outdated forecasts that underestimated the rain. Experts note climate change makes such disasters more likely, as warmer air holds more rain. 

The region nicknamed “Flash Flood Alley” has soil that can’t absorb sudden downpours . At a tense press conference, officials walked out when asked why camps weren’t evacuated, snapping: “We’re focused on finding children” .