At least 161 people missing in Texas floods as death toll rises to 109 (washingtonpost.com)

📉 Overview & Context

Over the July Fourth weekend, Central Texas was devastated by sudden, torrential flooding—resulting in at least 109 confirmed deaths and 161 individuals still missing as of July 8, 2025. The flooding has outpaced even Hurricane Harvey in deadliness, particularly in Kerr County, where the situation is described as “nothing short of horrific” by Governor Greg Abbott.

🔍 Key Details

• Camp Mystic, an all-girls summer camp in Kerr County, suffered major losses—27 campers and counselors died, with six still missing. Rescue operations continue via helicopter and local efforts.
• Early warning failures came amid historically massive downpours—up to four months’ worth of rain fell within hours—exposing critical weaknesses in emergency alert systems.
• Federal disaster relief was declared for Kerr County, and President Trump plans a site visit. Meanwhile, Texas lawmakers are pushing revisiting stalled disaster preparedness legislation and planning hearings to strengthen future resiliency.
• These floods are part of a growing national trend: flood-related deaths in the U.S. have increased dramatically over the past decade due to climate change—145 fatalities occurred in 2024, nearly doubling the 25-year average of 85.

(Summary generated by ChatGPT, GPT‑4‑turbo, July 2025)