The catastrophic flash floods that struck Central Texas over the July 4 weekend have claimed at least 82 lives, with 68 bodies recovered from Camp Mystic, a Christian girls’ summer camp in Kerr County. The rapid rise of the Guadalupe River left no time for evacuation. Officials confirmed that one counselor and ten girls remain missing. While families at neighboring Camp Waldemar narrowly avoided tragedy, the overwhelming grief and devastation at Camp Mystic have shaken the region.

Local authorities admitted there were no formal evacuation orders issued before the floods. Kerr County officials offered no clear answers, prompting scrutiny of the National Weather Service’s (NWS) forecasting failures. A New York Times investigation found that key positions at NWS and NOAA were left vacant, particularly in regional offices like San Angelo and San Antonio. These gaps reportedly hindered timely alerts and accurate rainfall projections