Texas weather doesn't just "rain." It breaks things. Most of us who live here are used to the rhythm of a summer afternoon thunderstorm, the kind that rolls in, shakes the windows for twenty minutes, and then leaves behind that heavy, humid air. But every few years, the clouds don't break. They stall. In July 2025, that stall happened over the Texas Hill Country, and the result was a wall of water that changed hundreds of families forever.
When people search for a texas flooding victims list, they are usually looking for one of two things: a way to confirm the safety of a loved one or a way to honor those lost. Honestly, it’s a heavy thing to scroll through. It isn’t just names and ages. It’s a record of a holiday weekend gone horribly wrong. On July 4, 2025, the Guadalupe River didn't just rise; it surged with a violence that caught even the most prepared locals off guard.
The Names We Won't Forget
Official records from the Texas Rangers and local Kerr County officials eventually identified 119 individuals who lost their lives in that specific event. It took weeks for the full picture to emerge. Search and rescue teams had to navigate debris piles the size of houses. If you look at the names released by the Texas Department of Public Safety, the range of ages is what hits you first. It was everyone from toddlers to great-grandparents.
Take the Burgess family from Liberty. John and Julia Burgess, both 39, were lost along with their children, 5-year-old John V and 1-year-old James. They were just out trying to enjoy the river. Then you have the Lawrence twins from Dallas, Hanna and Rebecca. They were only eight. They had just finished second grade and were spending their summer at Camp Mystic, a place that has been a staple of Texas childhoods for generations. The camp director himself, Dick Eastland, was among those who didn't make it out. He was 70 and had spent a lifetime protecting kids at that camp.
Why the Records Take So Long
You might wonder why it takes months to get a finalized texas flooding victims list after a disaster. It’s not just bureaucracy. It’s the grim reality of forensic identification. When a flash flood hits, the geography literally changes. Landmarks disappear. In the 2025 Hill Country floods, the Texas Rangers had to coordinate with the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences and other labs to ensure every ID was 100% accurate before notifying next of kin.
Kinda makes sense when you think about the chaos. The July 4th event saw the river crest at levels that shouldn't have been possible. In some spots, the water rose 20 feet in less than an hour. People weren't just "caught in the rain"; they were trapped in homes and cars that were suddenly underwater.
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Local Communities Hit Hardest
While the Hill Country took the brunt of the 2025 disaster, the impact rippled across the state.
- San Antonio: Lost ten residents, including the Jeffrey family—Penelope and Emlyn, both 70, and young Madelyn, 11.
- New Braunfels: The Moeller family—Jake, Megan, and 6-year-old Harley—were swept away.
- Odessa: Even those far from the immediate riverbanks were affected, like Police Officer Bailey Martin, who was visiting the area.
Accessing Official Records and Support
If you are looking for the formal, legally verified texas flooding victims list, your best bet isn't a random social media post. You need to go to the source. The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) maintains these records, though they often release them through local media outlets like the Texas Tribune or the Houston Chronicle during the active recovery phase to help families get closure.
For those still dealing with the aftermath—whether that’s property damage or the psychological weight of the loss—there are specific places to turn. FEMA declaration DR-4879-TX was issued specifically for the 2025 storms.
Basically, if you were in an affected county, you’ve got options:
- FEMA Individual Assistance: You can still check eligibility at disasterassistance.gov or call 1-800-621-3362.
- Crisis Counseling: The Disaster Distress Helpline (1-800-985-5990) is actually a huge resource that people overlook. It’s free, and they get the specific trauma of flood survivors.
- The Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM): Their iSTAT tool is where you report damages to help the state secure more federal funding for future mitigation.
Lessons from the Guadalupe
We talk about "100-year floods" like they happen once a century. The truth? That’s just a math term. It means there’s a 1% chance of it happening every single year. In Texas, those odds feel like they’re shifting. The 2025 floods showed that even with modern cell phone alerts and advanced meteorology, nature can still move faster than we can run.
The most important thing you can do now isn't just looking back at the list of who we lost. It’s making sure you aren't on the next one.
Actionable Next Steps:
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- Turn on WEA Alerts: Go into your phone settings right now and make sure "Wireless Emergency Alerts" are on. People at Camp Mystic and the surrounding river houses often had their phones on silent or in lockers. In a flash flood, three minutes of warning is the difference between life and death.
- Download the FEMA App: It gives you real-time weather alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations. If you have family in the Hill Country or near the coast, put their zip codes in.
- Check Your Flood Zone: Most homeowners' insurance doesn't cover rising water. Go to the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and type in your address. If you're near a "dry" creek bed in Texas, remember that it won't stay dry forever.
- Build a "Go-Bag": Don't make it complicated. A backpack with your ID, insurance papers in a Ziploc bag, some water, and a backup battery for your phone. If the water starts coming up the driveway, you don't want to be looking for your shoes.
The names on the texas flooding victims list represent our neighbors, friends, and family. Honoring them means more than just remembering; it means being the person who is ready when the sky turns gray again. Stay safe out there.