A violent storm hit the peaceful Texas Hill Country town of Hunt, where the Guadalupe River splits and flows across rolling hills. It was worse than most people thought it would be. From Thursday afternoon to early Friday morning, a storm system pounded the area severely. It rained more than seven inches, which is the most since the early 1990s. The Guadalupe River rose swiftly because of the heavy rain, reaching a height of almost 29 feet before dawn. For a lot of the folks who lived in Hunt, that night was weird and unsettling. This was the biggest deluge they had ever witnessed.
The town, which was better known for its summer camps and peaceful natural settings than for natural disasters, was at the core of a situation that was getting worse very quickly. Meteorologists and people who plan for emergencies were shocked by how fast and strongly the storm became worse. The first estimates stated there would be a lot of rain. The earth was already moist from rain earlier, so it couldn’t soak up any additional water. The Guadalupe River suddenly got a lot bigger, and creeks overflowed and runoff increased.
The National Weather Service cautioned citizens in central Texas on Thursday afternoon to be ready for flash floods and to keep alert. As the hours went by and the rain became harder, that watch quickly morphed into a series of flood warnings and emergency alerts. For a lot of people who lived in Hunt, the notifications were no longer just concepts. The water was rising swiftly. It took only a few hours for water to cover the roads that had been dry. They took the cars away. Flooding or entire destruction of homes along the riverbank, some of which had been there for decades.
People from Kerr County and other areas were asked to help with the disaster. The problem was so big that it needed a lot of people to work together. There were 14 helicopters sent out. Some came from the Texas Department of Public Safety, some from the National Guard, and some from counties close by. They had infrared gear and rescue baskets to identify heat signatures in the dark, storm-damaged earth. Search and rescue personnel on the ground had to deal with felled power lines, blocked roadways, mudslides, and the constant threat of getting stuck in rising water themselves.
Even though the conditions were dangerous, responders worked all night to find survivors. People were alleged to have held onto tree branches, flashed torches from rooftops, or used furniture that had been tipped over to stay afloat. The dark light of Friday morning made the damage evident. Floodwaters have taken over entire neighborhoods along the river. The banks were full of trash, like wood from torn-down houses, bent metal, kids’ toys, and broken fences.
Freeman F. Martin, the head of the Texas Department of Public Safety, gave a brutally honest remarks to the press during a midday news conference in Kerrville. He said, “This is a very sad thing that happened.” “We think there will be a lot of deaths.” His words hit a community that was already in shock quite deeply. Officials hadn’t yet confirmed how many individuals were missing, but reports from other people who were there and appeals for help painted a bleak picture. There were still a lot of people missing, and some places were too dangerous for rescue workers to get to because the bridges had washed away and the land was unstable.
As the situation got worse, state and local officials began to set up emergency shelters at nearby schools, churches, and community centers. People who offered gave blankets, food, and clean water. Businesses in the area let customers use their facilities to store rescue goods or feed first responders. The community was deeply disturbed, but they came together in the only way they knew how: by making sure everyone lived.
Meteorologists and hydrologists also quickly looked over the data. At 29.1 feet, this was the second-highest water level ever recorded on this part of the Guadalupe River. A flood that happened decades ago and affected the course of history in the area was the only higher level. People who had lived there for a long time remembered the last flood and said they never thought they would see anything worse. Some individuals said it had come now.
Some of the people who lived through it told accounts that were hard to believe. A chopper rescued a couple from their attic only minutes before the house collapsed down. A child was found safe on the riverbank hours after being swept away. But there were also stories of loss. Some folks contacted but didn’t get an answer. Neighbors are still missing, and families had to split up during the chaos.
The rain has finally stopped, and the water is starting to go down in some spots. But the long road to recovery has only just begun. Utility workers are working to restore electricity and clean the water. The roads need to be checked and cleared. Families are returning to what’s left of their houses. A lot of them just locate rubble or foundations. Some families lost everything they possessed in only one night.
The federal administration thinks that states would declare disasters and ask for support in the next few days. Insurance agents, FEMA workers, and nonprofits that help people will all come to Hunt to help, assess, and award money to those who qualify. But right now, most people are just worrying about the basics: food, shelter, safety, and getting back together with their loved ones.
This event has shown that even the safest places can be hit hard by bad weather that comes out of nowhere. It has also reminded the people of Hunt and Texas as a whole how vital it is to be prepared, have a strong community, and be able to respond quickly. Even while the numbers and damage reports are still coming in, one thing is clear: this flood will be remembered not only for the damage it inflicted, but also for the strength and kindness it displayed in the days and weeks that followed.
Hunt still has a lot of problems to deal with, even though families are starting to put their lives back together. This town will rebuild, not because it has to, but because it won’t stop. First responders, volunteers, and regular people all show how determined they are. Hunt, Texas, will get through sadness, struggle, and working together.