From July 4 through July 7, the Texas Hill Country was hit by a flash flood no one saw coming. Over 20 inches of rain in just a few hours turned calm rivers into lethal torrents.

TL;DR

• 💔 120+ killed, over 170 missing in July 4 flash flood.
• Camp Mystic lost 27 lives; 5 girls + a counselor still missing.
• Massive rescue: 440+ saved, responders from across the continent.
• $18–22 b damage, new alert systems in the works.
• Texas community is rallying—food, housing, funds, love.
• You can help. Even small acts of care = big impact.

💔 Latest Stats on the Texas Floods

• Fatalities: At least 120 confirmed dead, with 96 in Kerr County alone—including 36 children
• Camp Mystic toll: 27 campers and counselors killed, 5 girls and 1 counselor still missing
• Missing persons: More than 173 people remain unaccounted for, around 161 of them in Kerr County
• Rescues: Over 440 rescued since July 4, including 237 on day one and 167 via helicopter. Coast Guard hero Scott Ruskin helped save 165 lives
• Economic damage: Estimated between $18–22 billion

⚡ Why It Was This Bad

1. Sudden downpour: Over a foot of rain in under an hour, with some spots seeing as much as 20 inches
2. River surge: The Guadalupe River jumped from ~1 ft to 34 ft at Hunt—highest ever recorded
3. No flood sirens: Despite warnings, Kerr County skipped sirens and lived alerts due to cost and lack of funding

🛠️ On the Ground Heroes

• Dick Eastland, Camp Mystic’s director, died trying to save campers
• Scott Ruskin, fresh Coast Guard recruit, helped rescue 165 people
• Thousands of responders from a dozen states, plus Mexico and NASA, are still searching for missing folks

🏘️ Recovery & Response

• Search efforts are ongoing—over 2,000 volunteers and 12+ states involved .
• Official declarations: Gov. Abbott called a state disaster. A federal disaster declaration is in place too
• New sirens: Texas Legislature is moving to install flood sirens along Guadalupe River after special sessions are called
• More rain watch: Flash‑flood watches are still active, raising concerns over more danger

🤝 Community Rolling Deep

• Big names helping: H‑E‑B, Whataburger, World Central Kitchen, Mercy Chefs, Salvation Army, P. Terry’s serving food and essentials
• Airbnb & nonprofits: All Hands and Hearts are hosting first responders and displaced families
• Celeb and grassroots action: McConaughey, churches, breweries, schools—and including memorial services at Tivy High School

This wasn’t just another flash flood—it was a sudden wrecking ball. Lives ripped away in their sleep, families torn apart. We’ve seen heroism in the chaos, but it’s not enough.

Now’s the time to actually act: donate, volunteer, check on your people. Push for warning systems like sirens, early alerts, and better safety plans. Let’s make sure this never happens like this again.