FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
Extreme rainfall has flooded central Texas, with the Guadalupe River bursting its banks in minutes. Residents caught off guard, young summer camp girls still missing, as authorities remain silent about the failure of warnings.
A storm of historic proportions struck the heart of Texas during the days of the Fourth of July celebrations, leaving behind a tragic toll: at least 24 dead, dozens missing, thousands evacuated and hundreds of homes destroyed. But most importantly, an entire community caught off guard, faced with a flood that authorities called “unpredictable” but that climate experts had been warning about for months.
In Kerr County, one of the hardest-hit areas in the Texas Hill Country, rainfall reached 11 inches (28 cm) in a matter of hours. The Guadalupe River, a water source that has always fed life in the county, became an inland tsunami, rising more than 23 feet (7 m) in less than two hours. The speed with which the water advanced was so astonishing that many residents were unable to even leave their homes.
The alarm that never went off
Despite early “flood watch” alerts and later “flood warnings,” many residents did not receive the alert in time. Local officials now admit: “we did not have an effective warning system for this level of flooding.”
And this is precisely where the question arises that is demanding an answer from the American public: how is it possible that in 2025, one of the richest states in the US does not have an effective system to protect itself from natural disasters?
The missing summer camp girls
One of the most harrowing scenes was recorded at the summer camp “Camp Mystic,” where more than 20 girls aged 7 to 17 have yet to be found. Separated from their families for summer vacation, they disappeared when the river flooded the camp overnight.
Search and rescue teams, assisted by the National Guard and military helicopters, are conducting intensive operations on the river banks and surrounding forest areas.
Titanic rescue effort
So far, more than 230 people have been rescued, mostly by helicopters and watercraft. In some cases, rescues have been carried out using drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras. More than 500 emergency workers are engaged in ongoing operations, while weather forecasts signal more rainfall over the weekend.
The tragedy highlights the systematic disregard of local authorities for the warnings of scientists about climate change. Texas, one of the states most affected by extreme weather in recent years, appears to have yet to learn from previous hurricanes and floods.
While public opinion demands accountability and explanations, for many families in Kerr County, the tragedy is more than a statistic, it is a pain that does not easily fade.
Which girls are still missing?
The names that recur in the posts are Virginia Hollis, Mary Grace Baker, Blakely McCoy, Hadley Hanna, Lainey Landry, Janie Hunt, Eloise Peck, Lila Bonner, Renee Smajstrla, Molly Dewitt, Linnie McCoën, Margaret Sheedy, Kellyanne Lytal, Wynne Naylor Dallas, Cile Steward, Anna Margaret Bellows, Greta Toranzo, Sarah MarsH. All girls who were at Camp Mystic in San Antonio, a summer camp attended by girls ages 7 to 17, and who now search for each other relentlessly.
Meanwhile, a state of emergency has been declared in several counties, with some roads flooded and phone lines down. US President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that "it's terrible what happened. I'm shocked. We're going to provide federal assistance, we're going to take care of those who are involved. We're working with the governor."
The precedent of July 1987
But what has just happened is a tragedy with precedents. The flood is reminiscent of the deadly one that occurred in the same area in July 1987, when the Guadalupe River rose nine meters, flooding a school bus and a van carrying teenagers to a nearby summer camp. Ten children died at that time and 33 others were saved by clinging to tree branches until help arrived. /Worked by “Pamphlet”
Outside my parent's neighborhood in the hill country. A small piece of the floods in this area and rain continuing all day. Prayers for central Texas♥️ pic.twitter.com/5f5WRIhmk5
— Lauren???? (@LaurMichThom) July 5, 2025
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