Texas Hill Country disaster unfolds in the shadow of 1987's deadly flood
The Heart O' the Hills camp is on the Guadalupe River, where a massive search continues for more than 160 people who are believed to still be missing after catastrophic flooding over the July Fourth holiday. Decades earlier, Manley said there was an informal system in place when the river started rising: camps upstream would call down a warning and then get kids out of their bunks and to higher ground.
During the flood of 1987, Manley recalled a floating canoe injuring camp director Jane Ragsdale. But Ragsdale, 68, was among the more the than 100 victims who died in the flooding that began July 4, many of them in Kerr County.
'This water, it did something different,' Manley said. 'Jane knows floods more than anybody else. There's no way she would have been sitting in her house if she had thought this was dangerous.'
It is at least the fifth time in the last century that flooding near the Guadalupe River has turned deadly. The area, which is known locally as 'Flash Flood Alley,' has hills that quickly gather water and funnel it into narrow river banks. Water rises fast, catching people by surprise.
Here is a look at the river's deadly history of flooding.
Frantic evacuations in 1987
This mid-July flood killed 10 teenagers and injured 33 others. Water overwhelmed the river and its tributaries, forcing hundreds to flee. At a Christian academy, buses evacuating children initially encountered modest flooding. While some vehicles turned around in time, a bus and van were stranded when the river rose rapidly.
As the children were trying to leave the stranded buses to safety, a 'wall of water, estimated to be as much as half a mile wide, rushed upon the campers,' according to a government report. It scattered the kids. A bus with Seagoville Road Baptist Church on the side was pictured slammed against tangled trees, at an angle and partly under water.
A deadly morning flood in 1978
The amount of rain was extraordinary – 30 inches fell on parts of the Hill Country between Aug. 1 and 3.
It killed 33 people. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the flooding that hit the Hill Country struck early in the morning, 'the worst possible time form the point of view of data collection, warning dissemination and community reaction.'
Heavy rains in the early 1990s
A large portion of the state flooded, killing at least 13 people and causing vast damage, especially to agriculture. Month after month of 1991 was wetter than normal. Then more than half of the state was hit with more than 4 inches (10 centimeters) of rain over a six-day period ahead of Christmas. That caused flooding not only in the Guadalupe basin but created what officials called 'one of the most voluminous floods recorded in the history of the State of Texas.'
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Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
Heavy rains in Texas halt search for flood victims, damage homes elsewhere
More heavy rains in Texas on Sunday temporarily paused a weeklong search for victims of catastrophic flooding along the Guadalupe River and led to dozens of high-water rescues elsewhere as storms damaged homes, stranded motorists and put some residents under evacuation orders. It was the first time a new round of severe weather had paused the search since the July Fourth holiday floods, which killed at least 132 people. Authorities believe more than 160 people may still be missing in Kerr County alone, and 10 more in neighboring areas. In Kerrville, where local officials have come under scrutiny over whether residents were adequately warned about the rising water in the early morning hours of July 4, authorities went door-to-door to some homes after midnight early Sunday to alert people that flooding was again possible. Authorities also pushed phone alerts to those in the area. By late Sunday afternoon, the Kerr County Sheriff's Office announced that search teams in the western part of that county could resume their efforts. But more than 100 miles (161 kilometers) north in San Saba County, the floods damaged about 100 homes and knocked down untold lengths of cattle fencing, said Ashley Johnson, CEO of the Hill Country Community Action Association, a local nonprofit. Anything you can imagine in a rural community was damaged, she said. Our blessing is it was daylight and we knew it was coming. Latest flooding damages dozens of homes Gov. Greg Abbott said on X that the state was making rescues in San Saba, Lampasas and Schleicher counties and that evacuations were taking place in a handful of others. Texas Task Force 1, a joint state and federal urban search and rescue team, had rescued dozens of people in the Lampasas area, Abbott said. County officials ordered everyone living in flood-prone areas near the San Saba River to evacuate. Johnson said people were being moved to the San Saba Civic Center, which has become a safe, high place for people to receive aid and shelter. Everyone is in some way personally affected by this, she said. Everyone is just doing what they can to help their neighbors." A wide-ranging weather system brings heavy rains The weather system brought multiple rounds of heavy rains and slow-moving storms across a widespread area, pushing rivers and streams over their banks. Emergency crews rescued one motorist who was left stranded in waist-high rapids on a submerged bridge over the Bosque River and leaned onto the vehicle for support as crews tried to reach him with life jackets. He drove into it and didn't realize how deep it was, said Jeff Douglas, president of the McGregor Volunteer Fire Department. Luckily he was able to stand next to the vehicle. In the west Texas city of Sonora, authorities called for evacuations of some neighborhoods due to rising flood waters. In a video posted Sunday afternoon on Facebook, Mayor Juanita Gomez said some water rescues had taken place and a temporary shelter for residents had been opened in the city's civic center. Kerrville residents get support from police, alerts Under heavy rain, Matthew Stone was clearing branches and a log from a storm sewer in front of his home on Guadalupe Street in Kerrville on Sunday as several inches of water pooled up on the road. Multiple houses on the street overlooking the Guadalupe River were severely impacted by the July 4 floods, and Stone had to pull his older neighbors from their home before water overtook it. He said he felt safe for now. My wife was freaking out, that's for sure, but as long as that river is not coming down, we'll be all right, he said. The cops have been coming back and forth, we're getting lots of alerts, we're getting a lot of support. In nearby Ingram, fire department spokesman Brian Lochte said search and rescue efforts would resume Monday morning. Just before daybreak on the Fourth of July, the destructive, fast-moving waters rose 26 feet (8 meters) on the Guadalupe River, washing away homes and vehicles. Ever since, searchers have used helicopters, boats and drones to look for victims and to rescue people stranded in trees and from camps isolated by washed-out roads. The floods laid waste to the Hill Country region of Texas. The riverbanks and hills of Kerr County are filled with vacation cabins, youth camps and campgrounds, including Camp Mystic, the century-old, all-girls Christian summer camp. Located in a low-lying area along the Guadalupe River in a region known as flash flood alley, Camp Mystic lost at least 27 campers and counselors. The flood was far more severe than the 100-year event envisioned by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, experts said, and moved so quickly in the middle of the night that it caught many off guard in a county that lacked a warning system. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Indian Express
10 hours ago
- Indian Express
Emergency crews suspend search for flooding victims in central Texas amid new flood warnings
Emergency crews suspended their search for victims of catastrophic flooding in central Texas on Sunday morning amid new warnings that additional rain would again cause waterways to surge. It was the first time a new round of severe weather has paused the search since the flooding earlier this month. Ingram Fire Department officials ordered search crews to immediately evacuate the Guadalupe River corridor in Kerr County until further notice, warning the potential for a flash flood is high. Search-and-rescue teams have been searching for missing victims of the July 4 weekend flooding. Search and rescue efforts were expected to resume on Monday, depending on river flow, Fire Department spokesman Brian Lochte said. 'We're working with a few crews and airboats and SAR (search-and-rescue) boats just in case,' Lochte said. As heavy rain fell Sunday, National Weather Service forecasters warned that the Guadalupe River could rise to nearly 15 feet (4.6 metres) by Sunday afternoon, about five feet above flood stage and enough to put the Highway 39 bridge near Hunt under water. 'Numerous secondary roads and bridges are flooded and very dangerous,' a weather service warning said. The destructive, fast-moving waters rose 26 feet (8 metres) on the Guadalupe River in just 45 minutes before daybreak on July 4, washing away homes and vehicles. Ever since, searchers have used helicopters, boats and drones to look for victims and to rescue people stranded in trees and from camps isolated by washed-out roads. The floods laid waste to the Hill Country region of Texas. The riverbanks and hills of Kerr County are filled with vacation cabins, youth camps and campgrounds, including Camp Mystic, the century-old all-girls Christian summer camp. Located in a low-lying area along the Guadalupe River in a region known as flash flood alley, Camp Mystic lost at least 27 campers and counsellors and longtime owner Dick Eastland. The flood was far more severe than the 100-year event envisioned by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, experts said, and moved so quickly in the middle of the night that it caught many off guard in a county that lacked a warning system. The sheer amount of rain was overwhelming. Former NOAA chief scientist Ryan Maue, a private meteorologist, calculated on July 5 that the storm had dropped 120 billion gallons of water on Kerr County, which received the brunt of the storm. This summer, flash flooding driven by bursts of heavy rain turned deadly elsewhere in Texas. In San Antonio in June, more than 7 inches (18 centimetres) of rain fell over a span of hours, prompting dozens of rescues from the fast-rising floodwaters and killing at least 13
Time of India
11 hours ago
- Time of India
Brace for 15-foot surge: Fresh flood warnings issued for Central Texas as search efforts halted
Emergency responders were forced to suspend search operations on Sunday morning amid worsening conditions and new flood warnings in central Texas, where devastating rains continue to hammer the region. This marks the first interruption in the recovery mission since the catastrophic flooding that struck over the July 4 weekend. Officials from the Ingram Fire Department ordered all search-and-rescue teams to immediately evacuate the Guadalupe River corridor in Kerr County, citing a high risk of flash flooding. Crews had been combing the area for victims still missing from the earlier flood disaster. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Use This Before Your Next Oil Change vividtrendlab Undo Search operations are expected to resume Monday, depending on river conditions, according to fire department spokesperson Brian Lochte. 'We've still got a few crews, airboats, and SAR (search-and-rescue) units on standby—just in case,' Lochte added. The National Weather Service (NWS) warned that heavy rainfall on Sunday could push the Guadalupe River's water level to nearly 15 feet —about five feet above flood stage—potentially submerging the Highway 39 bridge near Hunt. Live Events 'Numerous secondary roads and bridges are already flooded and extremely dangerous,' the NWS advisory stated. The July 4 floods had earlier caused the river to surge 26 feet in just 45 minutes , sweeping away homes, vehicles, and entire communities as residents slept. Since then, search crews have deployed helicopters, boats, and drones to find the missing and rescue those trapped in trees or stranded at isolated camps. The Hill Country region, particularly Kerr County—home to vacation cabins, youth camps, and riverside properties—was among the hardest hit. Camp Mystic, a historic all-girls Christian camp located along the river, suffered tragic losses, with at least 27 campers, counselors, and even its longtime owner, Dick Eastland, among the missing or dead. Experts say the flood event exceeded what FEMA defines as a once-in-a-century disaster and unfolded so rapidly in the pre-dawn hours that many had no time to react—especially in an area with no flood alert system in place. The sheer volume of rainfall overwhelmed the landscape. According to former NOAA chief scientist Ryan Maue, approximately 120 billion gallons of water fell on Kerr County during the storm—making it the epicenter of the disaster. Texas has seen a string of deadly flash floods this summer. Just last month, San Antonio was drenched with over seven inches of rain in mere hours, resulting in dozens of water rescues and at least 13 fatalities . As storms persist, residents across the region are being urged to remain alert and prepare for further flooding. With AP inputs
