Texas, Guadalupe River and Flash Flood
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Texas, catastrophic flooding
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A major flood event also struck the Texas Hill Country in July of 1987 after a series of 17 thunderstorms moved slowly, in succession, over the headwaters of the Guadalupe River in Kerr County. Anywhere from 5 to 10 inches of rain fell on the flood-prone areas, now deemed “Flash Flood Alley,” according to a National Weather Service report.
While there is not much that can be done at night because it's so dark, there are some people who are continuing the very slow, methodical process of untangling huge debris, where most of the remaining missing victims are believed to be.
As a climate scientist who calls Texas home, I can tell you that the Hill Country of Texas is no stranger to flooding. Meteorologists often refer to it as “Flash Flood Alley” because of its steep terrain, shallow soils, and its history of sudden and intense rainfall.
More than 100 people have died across Texas from the floods, with Kerr County taking the heaviest blow. Nonprofits, restaurants and prominent business from H-E-B to the Salvation Army to P. Terry's are all taking efforts to raise funds or provide supplies to the impacted communities. A full list of places accepting donations can be found here.
The rivers etching the terrain are a beloved feature of the rapidly growing region. But last week’s flooding was an agonizing reminder of the dangers they pose.
The recent disaster has some thinking back to a similar tragedy almost 40 years ago that occurred in the same month and nearly the same place.
Newly released satellite images reveal catastrophic damage caused by the Hill Country floods along the Guadalupe River.
A flash flood in the Texas Hill Country on the Fourth of July killed dozen of people, including 27 people at an all-girls summer camp along the Guadalupe River.