Search and rescue personnel persisted in their frantic attempts for the fourth day on Monday, combing the flood-scarred terrain of central Texas following devastating flash flooding that took almost 80 lives. The tragedy has left scores missing and whole communities in shambles, particularly around the Guadalupe River in the Hill Country area of Kerrville.
The flooding started with late-night torrential rains on Friday morning, prior to the Independence Day weekend. In a matter of an hour, the ordinarily serene Guadalupe River swelled to a two-story building height, tearing through houses, summer camps, and settlements along the way.
Kerrville Bears the Brunt
Authorities confirmed that the floods killed at least 68 people in Kerrville, including 28 children. The storm swept across the countryside, sweeping away cars, uprooting trees, and inundating numerous children’s camps.
🚨INCREDIBLE RESCUE / SURVIVAL STORY 🚨
A 22-year-old woman was rescued from a tree in Center Point, TX after she reportedly floated for more than 10 miles down the Guadalupe River from Ingram, TX. pic.twitter.com/koSRGYsAbV
— Gage Goulding – KPRC 2 (@GageGoulding) July 5, 2025
One of the saddest accounts is that of Joyce Bandon, a young woman who made a last SOS call as the floods engulfed her home.
“Their house collapsed at about 4 in the morning, and they were being washed away. On her cellphone, the last message (her family) got was ‘we’re being washed away’ and the phone went dead,” said Louis Deppe, a volunteer leading search efforts for Bandon’s family.
Deppe described the grim task of navigating debris-strewn landscapes in small teams.
“One of the bodies was 8 to 10 feet in a tree, covered with so much debris. No one could see it, so the more eyes the merrier,” he said.
Rescue Efforts Continue
41 individuals remain missing in flood-stricken regions, Texas Governor Greg Abbott confirmed. Rescue teams in central Texas have deployed 17 helicopters to search for survivors, including ten girls and a counselor from a Christian summer camp that housed approximately 750 people when the floods struck.
Scenes from the camp are tragic: mud-caked cottages, broken windows, and teddy bears tossed about on the wreckage. Rescuers pulled a 22-year-old woman to safety in a viral video as she clung to a Cypress tree after floodwaters swept her 20 miles. A resident homeowner in Centre Point heard her cries and came to her rescue, KEN5S reported.
As waters start to recede, the full extent of the damage is emerging. Floodwaters have suspended dead livestock in trees, overturned cars, and left decaying fish scattered along the riverbanks. Rescue helicopters buzz overhead as boats sweep the river and emergency squads search the banks for bodies or anyone alive.
No Advance Notice of the Deluge
Even though emergency authorities had sounded the alarm in advance of the holiday, the storm proved to be more powerful than predicted. City Manager Dalton Rice explained that double the forecasted rainfall fell over two tributaries of the Guadalupe upstream, sending all that water surging into the single river channel that cuts through Kerrville.
Workers are currently working continuously to clear the wreckage, reopen access, and resume the search. As the river slowly reopens, the wounds of the disaster linger seared across central Texas.
