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By Anna Skinner
Associate News Editor
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A flash flooding disaster in 1987 mirrors the horrific event in Central Texas over the weekend that killed more than 80 people, including 27 young campers and their Christian summer camp counselors.
Why It Matters
On Friday, the National Weather Service (NWS) issued urgent warnings to people across Central Texas amid heavy downpours that resulted in months' worth of rain at once, prompting the Guadalupe River to surge 25 feet in only 45 minutes.
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More than a foot of rain lashed the region before the river flooding on Friday afternoon, National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologist James Wingenroth told Newsweek. The downpours caused rivers to surge with little advance notice. Floodwaters inundated Central Texas, sweeping away an RV park with families still inside their vehicles.
More than 80 people have died, and search-and-rescue missions continue on Monday as the region is anticipating up to 10 inches of rainfall throughout the day at some locations.
What to Know
On Friday, floodwaters rushed through Camp Mystic, creating perilous evacuation conditions in which girls were instructed to hold onto a rope to cross a bridge as floodwaters surged past their knees, The Associated Press reported. Helicopters brought some of the girls to safety, but 27 people died, Camp Mystic confirmed on Monday, including some of the young campers.
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The 1987 Guadalupe River Flood
Flash floods in Texas Hill Country have proved lethal more than once, the Guadalupe River flooding in 1987 in a similar way to this past weekend.
The area surrounding the Guadalupe River, part of Texas' so-called "Flash Flood Alley," is known for its susceptibility to fast-forming, deadly floods due to unique geography and weather patterns. The Guadalupe River is bedded with limestone rather than mud, which contributes to its susceptibility to flooding and the fast flow of floodwaters.
In 1987, sudden and intense rainfall caused the river to surge at an unprecedented rate in mid-July, leading to a tragedy that killed 10 campers at Pot O' Gold Christian Camp, a summer camp near Comfort, Texas. The campers drowned when their bus attempted to evacuate them and was overtaken by floodwater.
In the span of just a few hours, heavy rainfall pushed the Guadalupe River well beyond its banks. The rising waters swept through campsites, inundating cabins and cutting off escape routes. The disaster prompted statewide scrutiny of safety protocols at summer camps near rivers.
Decades later, the 1987 Guadalupe River flood looms large due to its parallels with subsequent tragedies. During the devastating flood that hit the region over the weekend, cabins at Camp Mystic also were destroyed and more than two dozen people were killed before evacuations could get everyone to safety.
What People Are Saying
Elinor Lester, a 13-year-old camper at Camp Mystic who was evacuated by helicopter, said according to a report by The Associated Press: "The camp was completely destroyed. It was really scary."
Luther Vanlandingham Jr, a deputy for the Kendall County Sheriff's Office in 1987, said of the flood that year, according to a report by KSAT: "It was just a loud rushing noise. I have never seen the river that high before … Unbelievable how fast it was going."
NWS Austin said in a Monday forecast: "There remains a threat of flash flooding from slow moving heavy rains overnight and through the day on Monday somewhere over the watch area. Difficult to pinpoint exact locations where isolated heavier amounts will occur. An uptick in coverage and intensity of scattered showers and storms is possible overnight near the I-35 corridor and eastern Hill Country, developing west through the day on Monday. … Any additional heavy rainfall over hardest hit areas of the past few days will lead to rapid runoff and flash flooding."
What Happens Next
Numerous flood-related weather alerts remain in place across Central Texas on Monday afternoon. Most of the majorly flooded rivers have receded, though some remain in minor flooding.
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