Texas disaster declaration issued as floods revisit region of last year’s deadly tragedy
New federal and state legislative measures aim to bolster emergency alert capabilities following the catastrophic 2025 Camp Mystic floods.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has issued a disaster declaration for 59 counties as torrential rains and flash floods continue to ravage central Texas, resulting in at least two deaths and more than 230 rescues. The state has deployed 2,350 emergency responders, including helicopters and boats, to manage the crisis, with Abbott warning that the event is likely to break historical records.
The National Weather Service reported precipitation levels ranging from 25 to 50 centimetres across parts of the state, with some areas receiving up to 60 centimetres in a single week. Nearly six million people across south and central Texas remain under flood watches as storms persist in western regions, including Big Bend National Park.
One victim, whose identity has not been released, was swept away near Uvalde, approximately 138 kilometres southwest of San Antonio. The second fatality involved John Mark Steward of Kerrville, who is believed to have died after his mobile home was carried away by floodwaters from Goat Creek. Among those rescued was Gabriel Pablo, a California man who was plucked from an 18-wheeler overtaken by floodwaters.
The flooding impacts the same region where 139 people died in severe floods a little more than a year ago, including 28 individuals at Camp Mystic in Kerr County. The tragedy at the all-girls summer camp led to the facility filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and facing wrongful death lawsuits, while the camp did not open for business this summer.
In response to the 2025 disaster, the state enacted legislation last September requiring warning sirens in flood-prone areas, allocating $50 million for their installation. Kerr County announced the system became operational last month, with sirens activating before this week’s storms approached. On the federal level, Senators John Cornyn and Jon Ossoff introduced the Mystic Alerts Act this week, a bill designed to deliver emergency alerts via satellite networks when cellular services fail.
