Texas Flash Floods: Death Toll Rises to 131 as More Rain Threatens Hill Country 

AfroVera.com | July 14   – The death toll from recent flooding across Texas has risen to  131  , as officials brace for yet another round of torrential rain just days after a devastating flash flood transformed parts of the Hill Country into disaster zones.

The   National Weather Service   has issued a   flood watch   for central Texas, forecasting rainfall of up to   six inches   through Tuesday morning. The warning covers a broad area stretching from the   Rio Grande   to major cities like   San Antonio   and   Austin  , including   Kerr County  , still reeling from the   July 4 flash flood  .

That flood, which struck suddenly and with ferocity, swept through the   Guadalupe River  , leaving behind a trail of destruction in   Kerrville   and the nearby town of   Hunt  , where a popular   Christian summer camp for girls, Camp Mystic  , was overwhelmed by fast-rising waters.

Search and rescue operations along the Guadalupe were suspended on Sunday due to renewed flood risks. Authorities have urged both rescue teams and riverfront residents to evacuate to   higher ground   until conditions stabilize.

Governor Greg Abbott   confirmed on Monday that the disaster has claimed   at least 131 lives   since   July 4  , with the majority of fatalities occurring in and around   Kerrville  . This figure marks an increase from   120   reported deaths just days earlier. Additionally,  97 individuals   remain missing, though that number has dropped from more than   160   reported last week.

Tragically,   approximately one-third   of the victims in Kerr County were   children  , many of whom lost their lives at   Camp Mystic   during the early morning hours of July 4, when more than   12 inches of rain   fell in under an hour a phenomenon not uncommon in this region known as   “Flash Flood Alley.”

No new survivors have been rescued since the flood struck. In response to the unprecedented loss of life, Governor Abbott announced that   state lawmakers   will convene a   special legislative session   later this month to investigate the flood’s causes, the region’s   disaster preparedness  , and the   emergency response protocols   that were in place at the time.

The tragedy has ignited public scrutiny over the   absence of flash-flood warning sirens   in Kerr County and the impact of   staffing shortages   at the   National Weather Service  , which some attribute to budget cuts during previous federal administrations.

As Texas endures yet another deluge, communities across the Hill Country continue to search for answers and for loved ones still unaccounted for.