Texas officials are sounding alarm bells over a rising death toll from this month’s historic, deadly floods. With search-and-rescue operations ongoing in the hardest-hit regions, worries are on the rise. The floods that have recently ravaged central Texas, costing more than 100 people their lives. Tragically, 27 of those victims were campers and counselors from Camp Mystic, a summer camp located on the banks of the Guadalupe River. This tragedy raises alarming questions about our preparedness for these kinds of extreme weather events. It draws attention to the region’s susceptibility to flash flooding and calls for action now.
That’s after a catastrophic storm dropped as much as 15 inches of rain in parts. That much rainfall can be the equivalent of multiple months of average precipitation, catalyzing that intense flooding. The Guadalupe River’s waters went up with alarming speed, gaining 26 feet (8 meters) in only 45 minutes. Emergency alerts were issued throughout the early morning hours, with urgent notifications sent out to mobile phones starting at 1:14 AM and escalating by 4:03 AM. Many residents in the Kerrville City area reported alarming water levels by 5:20 AM.
The Human Toll
To say that this disaster has left a lasting impact on the community would be an understatement. More than 100 others have died from causing the flooding. As rescue teams continue to work around the clock to save and serve everyone affected, officials worry that this number might continue to climb. Among the dead are schoolgirls who were staying at a summer camp along the banks of the river. This terrible loss has left the families and neighborhood devastated.
Dalton Rice, city manager of Kerrville, ordered a top-to-bottom review. This review will assess the region’s preparedness for future disasters. He called for systemic changes to make sure the deaths of his children will never happen again.
“This is a national tragedy which people across the country are mourning. The American people deserve answers.” – Chuck Schumer
The Role of Meteorological Agencies
National Weather Service meteorologists delivered the forecast briefings to emergency management officials. This was done just one day before their city was hard hit by those same floods. Meteorologists rose to the occasion, vociferously defending their work. They were claiming that the predictions were right, considering the quick-moving nature of the storm. Conclusion Staffing shortages should raise red flags. At the San Angelo office that issues those warnings, the team was short one senior hydrologist and, as of March 2015, didn’t have a permanent meteorologist-in-charge.
After surveying the damage, Texas Governor Greg Abbott noted even he was surprised at how bad the flooding had gotten. He noted that although locals were used to the threat of flash flooding, the severity of this event just went beyond what was the normal expectation.
“To most people in the area, flash flooding would mean one thing, not what it turned out to be.” – Texas Governor Greg Abbott
In his final assessment, Hatim Sharif, a former University of Texas professor of civil and environmental engineering, paints a grim picture. He told us that central Texas is one of the most dangerous areas in the entire United States from flash flooding. His observation highlights the need to recognize the unique, local geography when planning for emergency responses.
Community Response and Future Preparedness
As search efforts are ongoing, hundreds of volunteers have organized to search areas along and near the Guadalupe River. As the likelihood of finding survivors fades away with every passing day, there is added urgency to continuing rescue operations. This caused panic among the summer camp staff, who immediately began to evacuate children and staff to higher ground once the rising floodwaters were observed.
This has drawn sharp criticism in response to these historical decisions to locate encampments along waterways. One anonymous commenter from Texas shared their worries about being prepared for flooding, in light of what’s been happening lately.
“We’ve gotta move all these camps — why would you have camps down here by the water?”
In light of this disaster, local officials are now reconsidering land use and safety measures for summer camps and other recreational facilities situated near rivers.
“Well, you have camps by the water because it’s by the water. You have camps near the river because it’s a beautiful and wonderful place to be.”
During the floods, then U.S. president Donald Trump described the floods as a once-in-a-century event, calling it a “one-in-100-year disaster.” This assertion has blown up the debate over whether there were sufficient warning systems in place. Critics contend that staffing cuts contributed to the inability to issue timely alerts.
A National Conversation
Judge Rob Kelly acknowledged previous discussions on improving local flood preparedness. Yet, he added, there is public opposition, largely due to the expense associated with any potential fixes.
Louisiana State Director Alan Gerard expressed just how serious the incident was. Peters was very clear that this represented a worst-case scenario for flooding in central Texas.
“We’ve looked into it before … the public reeled at the cost.” – Judge Rob Kelly
Alan Gerard highlighted the severity of this incident, emphasizing that it represented a worst-case scenario for flooding in central Texas.
“An overarching point that I think needs to be emphasised about this event is just what an absolute worst-case scenario it was.” – Alan Gerard
