Central Texas residents are bracing for even more dangerous weather this Monday as additional rounds of slow-moving storms continue to drench the already flood-ravaged region.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued fresh flash flood warnings and extended a flood watch that now impacts nearly 5 million people across the area.
What started as a summer escape turned into an unimaginable nightmare over the Fourth of July weekend, as catastrophic flash floods ripped through Central Texas— leaving heartbreak, chaos, and a rising death toll in their wake.
One of the most devastating losses came from Camp Mystic, a beloved all-girls summer camp nestled along the scenic Guadalupe River.
In a chilling turn, the river swelled more than 20 feet in under two hours, catching everyone off guard during the early morning hours of July 4. The camp has now confirmed that 27 campers and counselors tragically lost their lives in the flooding.
State officials say at least 82 people have died across Central Texas due to the unprecedented flooding, with dozens more still unaccounted for. Kerr County, home to the devastated summer camp, has emerged as the hardest-hit area. Local authorities have confirmed the deaths of 40 adults and 28 children there alone.
Slow-moving storms
Rescue teams are still working around the clock in a desperate effort to locate survivors. According to state and local leaders, 41 people remain missing, and hope is dwindling as heavy rain threatens to return.
Adding to the danger, a flood watch covering nearly 5 million people remains in effect across Central Texas.
Governor Greg Abbott issued a somber warning on Sunday: “Flash flooding continues to pose a threat, and more heavy rainfall is on the way.”
The National Weather Service echoed the concern, saying slow-moving storms could dump another 2 to 4 inches of rain in some areas today, with isolated spots seeing up to 10 inches. That’s in addition to the record-breaking rainfall that’s already saturated the region over the last six days.
“This is a disaster zone”
As of this morning, the heaviest storms are centered near Killeen, where a flash flood warning remains active. Meteorologists warn that storms like these —especially when they move slowly — can unleash large amounts of rainfall in a short period, dramatically raising the risk of additional flash flooding.
“A flood watch is in effect for Central Texas through 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. CDT) Monday,” the NWS in Austin confirmed.
As the death toll rises and dozens remain unaccounted for in Central Texas, search crews are facing life-threatening conditions just trying to navigate the flooded chaos.
Volunteers from the United Cajun Navy, a Louisiana-based rescue group, are working alongside local teams in Kerrville—but the scene is treacherous. Debris-filled floodwaters are shifting constantly, making rescue attempts feel like navigating a minefield.
“When these waters are rushing and they continue..”
“When these waters are rushing and they continue — the water level continues to fluctuate. And so it exposes new debris, brings new debris into the water and creates hazards for airboats,” volunteer Nick Sortor told CNN.
Video footage aired by the network shows just how intense things are — rescuers repeatedly pulling their boat out of the water just to get around obstacles.
“You’re showing this video right now and you notice they have to keep taking the boat out of the water and put it back in the water, because there’s so many obstacles,” Sortor explained.
In some cases, crews are spending hours just to make minimal progress.
“Chainsawing in order just to be able to traverse, you know, 50 feet down the river,” Sortor said, describing how snapped trees can suddenly fall into the water, endangering the rescue teams. “You have to worry about these, these snapped trees falling on top of rescuers. There have been a couple of instances of that happening.”
