Internewscast Journal
  • Home
  • US News
  • Local News
  • Health
  • People
  • Guest Post
  • Support Our Cause
Internewscast Journal
  • Home
  • US News
  • Local News
  • Health
  • People
  • Guest Post
  • Support Our Cause
Home Local news How Texas Officials Managed Warnings Prior to the Deadly July 4 Flood: A Timeline Analysis
  • Local news

How Texas Officials Managed Warnings Prior to the Deadly July 4 Flood: A Timeline Analysis

    Timeline raises questions over how Texas officials handled warnings before the deadly July 4 flood
    Up next
    Florida shark attacks surfer, latched on ‘like a bear trap’ in world’s bite capital
    Surfer Attacked by Shark in Florida, Described as a ‘Bear Trap’ Incident in Shark Bite Epicenter
    Published on 09 July 2025
    Author
    Internewscast
    Tags
    • before,
    • Climate,
    • dan patrick,
    • deadly,
    • Environment,
    • Erin Burgess,
    • flood,
    • Greg Abbott,
    • handled,
    • how,
    • July,
    • Larry Leitha,
    • Matthew Stone,
    • officials,
    • over,
    • questions,
    • raises,
    • Rob Kelly,
    • Texas,
    • The,
    • timeline,
    • U.S. news,
    • warnings
    Share this @internewscast.com
    FacebookXRedditPinterest

    Authorities in Texas are under increasing scrutiny regarding their efforts to evacuate individuals before a flash flood surged through the Guadalupe River, resulting in over 100 fatalities, including 27 children and staff at a Christian all-girls camp.

    According to the state’s governor, over 160 individuals remain unaccounted for in Texas, days after flash floods claimed more than 100 lives over the July Fourth weekend. In the aftermath, state, federal, and Kerr County officials have been evasive when confronted with questions about their readiness and alerts.

    The Associated Press has pieced together an estimated timeline detailing the 48 hours surrounding the catastrophic flash flood, beginning with the activation of the state’s emergency response on July 2 — the same day Texas approved the camp’s disaster emergency procedures.

    By daybreak on July Fourth, it was clear that some children from Camp Mystic were swept away by floodwaters even as others were able to escape to safety in their pajamas.

    ___

    Wednesday, July 2:

    The Texas Division of Emergency Management activated state emergency response resources anticipating the threat of flooding in parts of West and Central Texas.

    On the same day, Texas inspectors signed off on Camp Mystic’s emergency planning, records obtained by the AP show.

    Thursday, July 3:

    10:00 a.m.: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said Friday that county judges and city mayors were invited to be on a daily call Thursday to discuss weather forecasts. Patrick also said a regional coordinator personally reached out to officials in the area.

    “The message was sent,” Patrick said. “It is up to the local counties and mayors under the law to evacuate if they feel the need.”

    1:18 p.m.: The National Weather Service’s Austin/San Antonio office issued a flood watch estimating rainfall amounts of one to three inches, with isolated amounts of five to seven inches for parts of south central Texas, including Kerr County. “Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers,” the alert read.

    Friday, July 4:

    1:14 a.m.: Citing radar, the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for central Kerr County until 4:15 a.m., warning that it was life threatening.

    Around 3:00 a.m.: Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said he was running on the river trail around 3 or 3:30 a.m. Friday and “everything was fine.”

    “Four o’clock when I left, there was no signs of it rising at that point,” Rice said during a news conference later. “This happened very quickly over a very short amount of time.”

    Rice said the isolated location and the heavy rain in a short period of time made a dangerous event that was not predictable, even with radar and National Weather Service warnings.

    “This is not like a tornado where you can have a siren. This is not like a hurricane where you’re planning weeks in advance,” Rice said. “It hit. It hit hard.”

    Between 3 and 5 a.m.: Floodwaters begin to inundate Camp Mystic. Young campers, counselors and staff are roused from sleep and begin a desperate rush to higher ground, according to social media accounts. The accounts detail how some young girls had to climb through cabin windows. One staffer said she was on the roof with water rising toward her at 4:00 a.m.

    3:30 a.m.: Erin Burgess woke up to thunder at around 3:30 a.m. Friday in her home in Bumble Bee Hills, a housing development about halfway between Hunt and Ingram. Within a half hour or so, she told the AP that the water was rushing into her house. Burgess and her 19-year-old son clung onto a tree outside for an hour before the water receded.

    3:35 a.m.: The National Weather Service extended its flash flood warning for central Kerr County until 7 a.m. based on radar and automated gauges.

    3:35 a.m.: A U.S. Geological Survey gauge along the Guadalupe River about five miles north of Camp Mystic and about a mile east of Hunt shows the river had reached nearly 16 feet. The river at that location is subject to minor flooding at 10 feet.

    Between 4 and 5 a.m.: Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said he was first notified about the situation from one of his sergeants.

    4:03 a.m.: The National Weather Service named a flash flood emergency for south-central Kerr County, saying in all caps that it was a “particularly dangerous situation. Seek higher ground now!” Citing radar and automated rain gauges, the bulletin said low water crossings and the Guadalupe River at Hunt were flooding.

    4:35 a.m.: A U,S, Geological Survey gauge along the Guadalupe River about five miles north of Camp Mystic and about a mile east of Hunt stops sending data. The last recorded river level from the instrumentation was 29.5 feet.

    5:30 a.m.: Police knocked on Matthew Stone’s door in a Kerrville riverfront neighborhood, urging residents to evacuate. Stone said he had received no emergency warning on his phone. “We got no emergency alert. There was nothing,” Stone said. Then: “a pitch black wall of death.”

    5:34 a.m.: The National Weather Service bulletin reported a flash flood emergency from Hunt through Kerrville and Center Point, saying “automated rain gauges indicate a large and deadly flood wave is moving down the Guadalupe River.”

    5:38 a.m.: In a comment on a Facebook post from the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office, one woman begged for someone to help her mother-in-law who was trapped in a trailer between Hunt and Ingram.

    5:52 a.m.: Minutes later, another woman commented on the same Facebook post that Bumble Bee Hills was flooded and needed help.

    6:06 a.m.: The National Weather Service extended the flash flood warning until 10:00 a.m. The bulletin also said local law enforcement reported “major flooding” and water rescues along the Guadalupe River.

    6:19 a.m.: Another Facebook commenter on the Kerr County Sheriff’s page said a “friend and her family are on their rooftop in Hunt, waiting for rescue.”

    6:45 a.m.: A U.S. Geological Survey gauge in Kerrville shows the Guadalupe River peaks at 34.29 feet, a figure that is preliminary and subject to change. It is the third-highest river level at that location, according to the data. The record of 39 feet was set on July 2, 1932,

    6:59 a.m.: Erin Burgess was surveying damage in her flooded home after the river water receded. The line of muck reached halfway up her kitchen cabinets.

    7:24 a.m.: The National Weather Service advises that the flash flood emergency extends to Sisterdale.

    11:29 a.m.: Camp Mystic parents receive an email noting the grounds have “sustained catastrophic level floods” and that they are without power, water and internet. Parents with a daughter not accounted for were directly contacted, the camp said.

    11:30 a.m.: Local officials held the first press conference to describe the situation and response. Asked what kind of warning system went out to make sure county residents got out safely, Judge Rob Kelly, the county’s chief elected official said: “We do not have a warning system.”

    When a reporter followed up to ask why camps weren’t evacuated when the camps were in harm’s way, Kelly said they didn’t know “this flood” was coming.

    “We had no reason to believe that this was going to be any, anything like what’s happened here,” Kelly said. “None whatsoever.”

    3:30 p.m.: Two news conferences on Friday afternoon were the first to offer an initial death toll. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said six to 10 bodies had been found so far. Around the same time, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha reported that 13 people had died in the flooding. Patrick also announced that the whereabouts of about 23 girls attending Camp Mystic were not known.

    7:11 p.m.: A state agency responsible for search and rescue operations, the Texas Game Wardens, post on Facebook that they made entry into Camp Mystic and “are evacuating the campers to safety.” Roughly two dozen campers were still missing.

    9 p.m.: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a disaster declaration at a news conference. Leitha reported about 24 fatalities.

    Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

    Share this @internewscast.com
    FacebookXRedditPinterest
    You May Also Like
    Central Illinois family farms picking, selling corn until sold out
    • Local news

    Central Illinois Family Farms Harvesting and Selling Corn Until Inventory is Depleted

    CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA) — Family farms all over Central Illinois are starting…
    • Internewscast
    • July 9, 2025
    US is legally responsible for detained migrants, El Salvador says
    • Local news

    El Salvador Claims US Must Ensure Welfare of Detained Migrants

    (The Hill) – The government of El Salvador has formally asserted it…
    • Internewscast
    • July 9, 2025
    Austin Fire Chief defends response after accusations of delaying help for Kerr County flooding
    • Local news

    Austin Fire Chief Addresses Concerns Over Response Time in Kerr County Flooding Accusations

    AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Fire Chief insists his department is doing…
    • Internewscast
    • July 9, 2025
    Trump says US must send more weapons to Ukraine, days after ordering pause
    • Local news

    Trump Urges Increased US Weapon Support for Ukraine Following Recent Pause

    WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump said Monday the U.S. will have to…
    • Internewscast
    • July 9, 2025
    Georgia Republican Burt Jones enters the 2026 governor's race by lending himself $10 million
    • Local news

    Georgia Republican Burt Jones Commences 2026 Gubernatorial Campaign with $10 Million Personal Loan

    ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Republican Burt Jones has officially announced his candidacy…
    • Internewscast
    • July 9, 2025
    Searchers in helicopters and on horseback scour Texas flood debris for the missing
    • Local news

    Helicopter and Horseback Teams Search Texas Flood Debris for Missing People

    HUNT, Texas – As the search operation continued on Wednesday in Texas,…
    • Internewscast
    • July 9, 2025
    Iroquois Co. EMA transitioning to new notification system
    • Local news

    Iroquois County EMA Introduces New Notification System

    WATSEKA, Ill. (WCIA) — The Iroquois County EMA has teamed up with…
    • Internewscast
    • July 8, 2025
    RCSO arrests seven people after search warrant on Brookshire Drive
    • Local news

    Seven Individuals Arrested by RCSO Following Search Warrant Execution on Brookshire Drive

    AUGUSTA, Ga. () – The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office executed a search…
    • Internewscast
    • July 9, 2025
    GM, OnStar sued over alleged sale of driver data
    • Local news

    Lawsuit Filed Against GM and OnStar for Alleged Sale of Driver Data

    LINCOLN, Kan. (KSNW) – The Nebraska Attorney General’s Office announced Tuesday that…
    • Internewscast
    • July 9, 2025
    Chanel marks 110 years by recreating its couture salon in a palace as Blazy era approaches
    • Local news

    Chanel Celebrates 110 Years by Reimagining Its Couture Salon in a Palace Ahead of the Blazy Era

    PARIS – Only Chanel would call its legendary Rue Cambon salon “too…
    • Internewscast
    • July 8, 2025
    California rejects Trump demand to ban trans athletes
    • Local news

    California Denies Trump’s Request to Prohibit Transgender Athletes

    California education officials have formally rejected the Trump administration’s demand to bar…
    • Internewscast
    • July 8, 2025
    Local teens catch 2 sharks, including 13-footer
    • Local news

    Teenagers Reel In Two Sharks, One Measuring 13 Feet Long

    TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. () — A local 16-year-old fisherman hooked two sharks…
    • Internewscast
    • July 9, 2025
    Johnson City Regional Planning Commission denies recommendation for rezoning Minga Drive
    • Local news

    Johnson City Regional Planning Commission Rejects Rezoning Proposal for Minga Drive

    JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — The focus of a meeting was on…
    • Internewscast
    • July 9, 2025
    Crime Roundup with Nancy Grace: Is Diddy Controlling the Courtroom?
    • Crime

    Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ Sentencing Date Set for October

    A New York federal judge finalized a sentencing date on Tuesday for…
    • Internewscast
    • July 9, 2025
    ICE agents targeted in 2 ambush attacks in recent days
    • US

    ICE Agents Face Two Recent Ambush Attacks

    U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and other federal law enforcement…
    • Internewscast
    • July 9, 2025
    Amazon drops price of 'powerhouse' fan to less than £25 in time for UK heatwave
    • Health

    Amazon Slashes Price on Top-Rated Fan to Under £25 Ahead of UK Heatwave

    With temperatures climbing across the UK and homes getting noticeably stuffier, many…
    • Internewscast
    • July 9, 2025
    Internewscast Journal
    • Home
    • Privacy Policy
    • DMCA Notice
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Guest Post
    • Support Our Cause
    Copyright 2023. All Right Reserverd.