In the early hours of July 4, 2025, torrential rain sent the Guadalupe River surging through Kerr County and communities across the Texas Hill Country. The fast-moving flood swept away homes, vehicles and buildings along the river, striking summer camps and neighborhoods while many people were asleep.
More than 130 people were killed, including children separated from their parents while attending summer camp. Roads and bridges were damaged, businesses were destroyed, and families were left searching through debris for loved ones and belongings.
As daylight revealed the scale of the catastrophe, survivors and grieving families began asking a fundamental question: What happened that night — and could more people have been warned or rescued?
Nearly a year later, Kerr County is still recovering. Residents are rebuilding homes and businesses, local governments are repairing damaged infrastructure, and families are confronting the lasting emotional and financial toll of the disaster. At the same time, lawmakers, emergency officials and investigators continue to examine flood warnings, communications, evacuation plans and the government response.
A team of reporters from The Texas Newsroom and PBS FRONTLINE came together to reconstruct the events of that night and document what has happened since. They spoke with survivors, residents, first responders, lawmakers and state officials to investigate how the disaster unfolded and what it revealed about the risks facing communities along the Guadalupe River.
Houston Public Media reporter and podcast host Dominic Anthony Walsh tells that story in “After the Flood,” a five-episode podcast series.
This week on Texas Matters, we're featuring episode one of the podcast.
