At least six people are dead and multiple families remain missing after the Guadalupe River burst its banks Friday morning, transforming peaceful Texas Hill Country communities into scenes of catastrophic devastation during what authorities are calling a “once-in-a-lifetime” flooding event.
The river surged more than 22 feet in just 30 minutes overnight, reaching what meteorologists believe exceeded its all-time record height of 36 feet before monitoring equipment failed. Emergency officials confirmed fatalities across Kerr County as rescue crews worked frantically to reach residents trapped on rooftops and in trees.
This is a catastrophic flooding event in Kerr County,” the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office stated in an emergency bulletin. “We can confirm fatalities but will not release further information until next of kin are notified.”
Missing Family Swept Away in Kerrville
A Kerrville family of four vanished when floodwaters demolished their home overnight, leaving only a vacant lot where the structure once stood, according to WOAI-TV. The missing couple and their two children lived near the river, where water levels rose from 7 feet at midnight to 29 feet by 4 a.m.
Law enforcement sources told KEYE-TV that an entire RV park in Ingram was swept downstream with families still inside their trailers. Multiple rescue operations continued throughout the morning as helicopters and swift-water teams searched for survivors.
This may be a once-in-a-lifetime flood,” Kerr County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Clint Morris told KSAT, describing countywide rescue efforts as “an extremely active scene.
Record-Breaking Deluge Triggers Emergency
The National Weather Service issued a Flash Flood Emergency for all of Kerr County after nearly 10 inches of rain fell overnight in the Guadalupe River headwaters. The intense rainfall caused the river to rise 21.6 feet in one hour at Kerrville and 26.7 feet in just 45 minutes at Comfort.
A large and deadly flood wave is moving down the Guadalupe River,” the National Weather Service warned. “This is a particularly dangerous situation. Seek higher ground now!”
At 5:10 a.m., the river reached its second-highest recorded level, surpassing the devastating 1987 flood that killed 10 teenagers when their church bus was swept away near Comfort. Officials believe Friday’s flood exceeded all historical records, though the river gauge stopped reporting after water levels passed 34 feet.
Communities Devastated, Infrastructure Crippled
Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr. issued a disaster declaration as widespread flooding resulted in extensive damage, injuries and loss of life. The city established a temporary reunification center at the local Walmart for displaced residents, while First United Methodist Church opened as an emergency shelter.
More than 5,000 customers lost power across Kerrville, Center Point and Hunt as flooding and downed power lines hampered restoration efforts. CenterPoint Energy reported “major outages” throughout the affected areas.
“The entire county is an extremely active scene,” Sheriff Larry Leitha said. Residents are encouraged to shelter in place and not attempt travel. Those near creeks, streams, and the Guadalupe River should immediately move to higher ground.”
Historical Context of Hill Country Flooding
The Texas Hill Country sits in what experts call “Flash Flood Alley,” where weather patterns and geography combine to create North America’s most flood-prone region. The area’s limestone terrain, steep hills and thin soil create conditions for rapid runoff during intense rainfall events.
Friday’s tragedy echoed the 1987 flood that became one of Texas’s deadliest natural disasters. On July 17 that year, 10 teenagers from Seagoville Road Baptist Church drowned when their bus stalled in rising waters at a low-water crossing near Comfort.
The region has some of the highest flood discharge per unit area of a drainage basin in the country,” said Dr. Richard Earl, geography professor at Texas State University who has studied Hill Country flooding for decades.
Emergency Response Mobilizes Across Region
Texas state agencies joined local authorities in mounting rescue operations as the flood wave moved downstream. The National Guard deployed helicopters while swift-water rescue teams from multiple counties converged on the hardest-hit areas.
At Camp Mystic near Hunt and the Texas Lions Camp southeast of Kerrville, officials confirmed all children attending summer programs were safe and accounted for. Both facilities activated emergency protocols as waters rose.
San Antonio and Bexar County, located approximately 90 miles from the epicenter, remained largely unaffected. However, authorities warned residents throughout South-Central Texas to monitor conditions as the flood wave progressed downstream.
Fourth of July Celebrations Cancelled
Kerrville’s annual “Fourth on the River” Independence Day celebration at Louise Hays Park was cancelled after floodwaters completely submerged the venue. Time-lapse video showed the Guadalupe River rising dramatically in just 40 minutes, engulfing a gazebo and threatening nearby roadways.
Multiple road closures were reported throughout Kerrville, including Arcadia Loop, Thompson Drive, Guadalupe Street, and parts of Broadway. Low-water crossings became completely impassable as rescue crews urged residents to avoid all unnecessary travel.
“Turn around, don’t drown,” emergency officials repeatedly emphasized, noting that just six inches of moving water can knock down an adult and two feet can carry away vehicles.
Weather Pattern Creates Perfect Storm
The catastrophic flooding resulted from slow-moving thunderstorms that stalled over the Hill Country overnight, producing what meteorologists called a “train effect” with one storm following another over the same area. A stationary front draped across the region combined with tropical moisture from the Gulf of Mexico to generate the extreme rainfall.
The Guadalupe River watershed received between 5 and 10 inches of rain before sunrise, with isolated reports exceeding 12 inches near Hunt. The normally scenic river transformed into a raging torrent moving at dangerous speeds through communities downstream.
Flash Flood Warnings remained in effect until 2 p.m. Friday for Kerr and Kendall counties, with meteorologists warning additional rainfall could worsen already critical conditions.
Looking Ahead
As rescue operations continued Friday afternoon, officials warned the death toll could rise as crews reached more isolated areas. The flood wave was expected to crest at Spring Branch north of San Antonio by late afternoon, prompting evacuations along the lower Guadalupe River.
Emergency management officials urged residents to stay informed through official channels and heed all evacuation orders. Those in flood-prone areas should move to higher ground immediately and never attempt to cross flooded roads or waterways.
The 2025 Independence Day flood joins a long history of devastating Texas floods, underscoring the ongoing risks faced by Hill Country communities where beauty and danger exist side by side in one of America’s most flood-prone regions.
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