In what experts call "Flash Flood Alley," the terrain reacts quickly to rainfall steep slopes, rocky ground, and narrow riverbeds leave little time for warning.

Volunteers search for missing people along the banks of the Guadalupe River after recent flooding on Sunday, July 6, 2025, in Hunt, Texas.

Here’s what to know about the deadly flooding, the colossal weather system that drove it in and around Kerr County, Texas, and ongoing efforts to identify victims.

Before and after satellite images from Texas show the effects of the devastating flooding that occurred along the Guadalupe River on July 4.

And yet, what happened in the early hours on Friday, when catastrophic flooding struck with a surge topping 20 feet, soon became a perfect storm turned into a once-in-a-lifetime tragedy. I first heard about the flood on Friday morning,