Flash Flooding Returns to Hard-Hit Texas Region Where 129 Recently Died

Once more, Texas was battered by intense rain. Sunday comes only nine days after one of the biggest natural catastrophes in the state’s history claimed over 120 lives due to devastating flash floods.

Kerr and Gillespie Counties experienced “life-threatening flash flooding” on Sunday due to predicted rainfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour.

Some isolated regions were predicted to receive between 9 and 12 inches of rain.

In the early hours of July 4, the Guadalupe River surged 20 feet in under 90 minutes, killing 27 staff and children at a Christian summer camp, with Kerr County being the hardest devastated area.

“In Lampasas County, Texas Parks & Wildlife and Texas Task Force One are doing quick water rescues. With an emphasis on protecting lives, we are still keeping an eye on every county,” Texas Governor Greg Abbott posted on X Sunday afternoon.

Abbot stated that evacuations are occurring in Lampasas, Menard, Kimble, and Sutton counties, and that the state has extended its rescue operation, which began in Kerr County last week, to encompass San Saba, Lampasas, and Schleicher counties.

Ashley Johnson, CEO of the Hill Country Community Action Association, reported that the most recent floods in areas north of Kerr County have destroyed at least 100 properties.

After rising more than 30 feet, the Lampasas River, which crosses many counties in the Lone Star State, is now in catastrophic flood status. During the most recent rains, the San Saba River has also been rising quickly; by Sunday night, it is predicted to have surged 30 feet.

The National Weather Service says that there is a “considerable” flash flood warning and that all local phones should have received notifications.

Affected areas include Hunt and Kerrville, which were devastated by last week’s flooding and are home to Camp Mystic, a Christian girls’ summer camp where 27 children and counselors perished.

The Kerr County Sheriff’s Office issued a “Code Red” notification on Sunday, asking the 50,000 people of the county to be prepared to evacuate at any time.

“This is not an evacuation but a preparation notification.” The Sheriff’s Office posted on Facebook, “Be prepared to evacuate along the Guadalupe River due to bad weather and flooding.”

The river might overflow its banks once more, the National Weather Service said, reaching over 15 feet by the afternoon, which would be sufficient to submerge Hunt’s Highway 39.

As the latest warnings arrived, Kerrville officials ordered search personnel, who have been working nonstop since the flash floods started on July 4, to halt their rescue operations.

As optimism for the 170 persons who are still missing starts to wane, the suspension is made in the face of the intense downpour.

The Kerrville Police Department announced in a statement on Sunday that “all search crews need to evacuate the river corridor until further notice, but we will provide more information soon.”

On Sunday, the mayor of Kerrville posted dramatic video of floodwaters flooding the streets on Facebook.

The fire department in Ingram, six miles east of Kerrville, has warned residents not to attempt to record or take pictures of the rising waters.

The Ingram Fire Department issued a social media warning, saying, “We are seeing the same weather pattern today that we experienced on July 4 – and we know how quickly that turned deadly.”

According to the prediction, the area will continue to see rain through Monday night before drying off by the middle of the week.