Catastrophic Flooding Claims Lives in Texas Hill Country as Kerr County Declares Disaster

Catastrophic flooding from overnight storms has claimed multiple lives in Kerr County, prompting officials to declare a local state of disaster as the Guadalupe River reached its second-highest level on record Friday morning.

Officials have confirmed six fatalities from the catastrophic flooding event. At least one child is missing from Camp Mystic, adding urgency to ongoing search and rescue operations. The Kerr County Sheriff’s Office said it will not release further details about casualties until next of kin are notified. The scale of the emergency became clear through harrowing rescue accounts. Keri Wilt, who lives in Hunt, told The Kerr County Lead that her 83-year-old mother, who also lives in Hunt, was hosting family and they had to break through the roof to escape rising floodwaters.

Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said RV parks along the Guadalupe River were hit hard early Friday morning, with many people awaiting rescue. Officials are conducting evacuations along the Guadalupe River as a “deadly flood wave” continues downstream toward Kerrville and surrounding communities.

The National Weather Service said the Guadalupe River at Hunt reached its second-highest height on record at 5:10 a.m., surpassing levels from the historic 1987 flood. The river is forecast to crest at 34 feet at 6 a.m., according to the National Water Prediction Service.

USGS data shows Johnson Creek near Ingram reached 810 cubic feet per second on July 4, far exceeding the historical maximum of 300 cfs recorded in 2002 and dramatically above the median flow of 12 cfs.

Mayor Joe Herring Jr. signed the disaster declaration on July 4, citing “severe flooding from a weather event that brought rain that began overnight and continues.” Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly also issued a disaster declaration and said state resources are being deployed to the area.

The flooding has crippled infrastructure throughout the region. The Kerrville Public Utility Board reported widespread power outages affecting approximately 2,646 customers as of 9:30 a.m., with Southeast Kerrville, Center Point and Hunt among the hardest hit areas. The Hunt Substation is flooded and remains inaccessible for damage assessment. Power lines crossing rivers near Riverhill and Center Point are down, along with lines on Highway 173.

Kerrville authorities are urging residents who live within 100 yards of the river to “evacuate now” as water overtakes several streets in town. A reunification area has been set up at the Walmart at 2106 Junction Highway.

The National Weather Service issued Flash Flood Emergencies for the area, warning of “life-threatening flash flooding” with rainfall of 6-7 inches causing major rises in the river system. Over 7 inches of rain in six hours was reported in Kerr County.

The Kerr County Sheriff’s Office is working to evacuate people on State Highway 39 near the Guadalupe River in Hunt amid major flooding. The Texas Department of Transportation has closed the highway.

The city’s “Fourth on the River” holiday celebration has been cancelled after Louise Hays Park flooded Friday morning. The stage for the event was seen downstream in a crumbled mass, caught by trees just east of the park, illustrating the destructive power of the floodwaters. Multiple road closures are in effect throughout the county.

“All Kerrville residents who live near the Guadalupe River are urged to evacuate now,” Kerrville Police said. “This is a life-threatening event. Do not wait.”

The disaster declaration, signed under Texas Government Code Section 418.108(A), allows the state of disaster to continue for up to seven days unless renewed by the Kerrville City Council.

Kerr County, located 65 miles northwest of San Antonio in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, has a population of about 52,600. The area is prone to flash flooding due to its geography, with fast-moving water rushing down the slopes of the Hill Country into the Guadalupe River system.

This is a developing story. More information will be provided as it becomes available.

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