A catastrophic flash flood has left at least six people dead and thousands displaced after the Guadalupe River burst its banks overnight, wreaking havoc on several rural towns in Texas, including Kerrville and Hunt. Fueled by nearly 10 inches of rainfall, the river surged to a near-record height of 34 feet early Friday morning, overtaking homes, roads, and entire communities.
The National Weather Service (NWS) declared a flash flood emergency for all of Kerr County, located about 90 miles northwest of San Antonio, urging residents to seek higher ground and warning of life-threatening conditions. The emergency alert remains in effect for both Kerr and nearby Kendall County until at least 2 p.m. local time.
The destruction was swift and harrowing. At least one Kerrville family is missing after their entire home was reportedly swept away by the surging waters. WOAI-TV reports the family, a man, his wife, and two children, vanished overnight, with only an empty lot left where their home once stood. Officials fear the worst.
Catastrophic Texas Flood Sweeps Away RV Park With Families Inside
Video footage captured by KPRC reporter Gage Goulding shows torrents of water rushing down the river, carrying debris and obliterating everything in its path. An entire RV park in Ingram was also swept downstream, according to KEYE-TV, with multiple families still inside their homes as the flood hit. The Kerr County Sheriff’s Office confirmed fatalities in a Friday morning Facebook post, calling the disaster a โcatastrophic flooding event.โ While exact numbers have not yet been officially released, local reports indicate the death toll has reached at least six.
As rescue efforts continue and emergency services scramble to locate the missing, the tragedy has also ignited political discourse online. Some users took to social media to place blame or point fingers at leadership, with one writing, โNever happen under Biden,โ and another accusing a political figure of ignoring the disaster, saying, โHe won’t even mention this flood. Heโs too busy with Biden living inside his head.โ
Others turned the conversation toward climate change and immigration, with one user commenting, โPeople = global warming / climate changeโฆ Deport, deport, deport! Remove the 50 million here living illegally to save the planet.โ Another took a more optimistic yet partisan stance: โLike Florida, and our wonderful Gov DeSantis, Texas and Abbott are good at disaster recovery. I have every confidence everything will be out right in a few weeks.โ Critics also questioned the future of federal support, with one comment sarcastically noting, โTariffs and tax cuts will help you out. Have fun rebuilding without FEMA.โ
While political finger-pointing plays out online, on the ground, families continue to face unimaginable loss, and emergency crews are working around the clock to search for survivors and bring relief to those affected. Authorities are asking residents in low-lying areas to remain vigilant, stay off roads, and follow all emergency guidance as the region braces for additional rainfall heading into the weekend.
