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.
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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.
