Flash Flood Emergency: Guadalupe River Swamps Kerrville, Hunt, and Ingram

What Happened?

At 3 a.m. on Thursday, July 16, 2026, the National Weather Service in Austin/San Antonio issued a flash flood emergency for central Kerr County — including Kerrville, Hunt, Ingram, Kerrville-Schreiner Park, and Waltonia — calling it a “particularly dangerous situation” and warning that catastrophic flooding was occurring, according to Texas Public Radio. Emergency managers reported 3 to 6 inches of rain had already fallen, with rain continuing at 2 to 4 inches per hour, and said water was entering structures as evacuations and water rescues increased across the county.

NWS meteorologist Eric Platt told TPR the Hunt, Ingram, and Kerrville areas were the hardest hit, with some storm cells producing rainfall rates of 4 to 6 inches per hour into the morning. The Kerr County Sheriff’s Office urged residents already in safe, elevated places to stay where they were, warning that conditions remained extremely dangerous countywide, CBS Austin reported. As of early Thursday morning, officials had not confirmed any deaths or injuries; rescues were still underway and the situation was developing.

The Guadalupe River Rose Fast — and Uvalde County Got Its Own Emergency

The Guadalupe River at Hunt was measured at 19.4 feet around 3:20 a.m. and was forecast to crest near 22 feet — a level TPR reported as comparable to significant flooding in 1981 — threatening camps and low-lying areas along the river and making roads near Highway 39 extremely dangerous. In Kerrville, the river passed 13 feet before dawn with a forecast crest of 20.4 feet, a level the Weather Service said threatens structures near the river and makes evacuations likely in flood-prone areas. By 5 a.m., CBS Austin reported the river had crested at just over 20 feet in Hunt but was still rising downstream in Kerrville.

Around 4:40 a.m., the Weather Service issued a second flash flood emergency for parts of Uvalde County, including Uvalde, Uvalde Estates, and Knippa, saying 10 to 20 inches of rain had fallen there over two days — 8 inches of it in just two hours. Torrential rain in Gillespie County, with totals approaching a foot, was also expected to push the Pedernales River into significant flooding. A broader flood watch covering much of South Central Texas — including Bexar, Comal, Kendall, Bandera, Medina, and Real counties — remained in effect through Thursday evening, with isolated additional totals of 10 to 15 inches possible.

One Year After the 2025 Tragedy

This flooding hit almost exactly one year after the catastrophic July 4, 2025 Guadalupe River flood that killed 119 people in Kerr County. Since then, Kerr County and the Upper Guadalupe River Authority have installed a new flood warning siren system and expanded emergency notifications intended to give residents, visitors, and summer camps along the river earlier warnings, according to TPR. This week’s emergency is a separate, new event — it follows the July 14 flooding that forced dozens of rescues in Uvalde and Medina counties, part of the same days-long stretch of extreme rain that Gov. Greg Abbott answered with a 59-county disaster declaration.

Who Can Be Affected?

Flooding on this scale touches far more people than the rescues that make the news. Homeowners and renters in Kerrville, Ingram, and Hunt whose houses take on water; owners of river cabins, camps, and RV parks along the Guadalupe; business owners along the Highway 39 and Junction Highway corridors; families whose vehicles flooded; and visitors displaced from lodging can all face real losses — ruined floors and walls, destroyed equipment, flooded cars and trucks, and the cost of temporary housing while repairs are made.

Flood Damage and Insurance: What Many Texans Learn the Hard Way

The Texas Department of Insurance explains that a standard homeowners policy does not cover flood damage — flood coverage is a separate policy, most often through the National Flood Insurance Program. Vehicles are different: flood damage to a car or truck is generally covered if the owner carries comprehensive (not just liability) auto coverage. TDI has also published claim tips for Texas flood victims, including filing claims promptly and photographing damage before cleanup begins.

That patchwork of coverage is exactly why claims after a flood get complicated. Which policy applies? Was the damage caused by rising water, wind-driven rain, or a combination? Insurers and policyholders often disagree — and the answer can determine whether a claim is paid.

What Can a Lawyer Do After a Flood?

Attorneys who handle storm and flood claims generally describe several ways they help. A lawyer can read the policies and explain what is actually covered, push back when a claim is delayed, underpaid, or denied, and deal with the insurance company so the family can focus on recovery. Texas law is on the policyholder’s side in important ways: the Texas Prompt Payment of Claims Act sets deadlines for insurers to acknowledge, investigate, and pay claims, and allows interest and attorney’s fees when a valid claim is paid late. Renters have rights too: under Texas Property Code Chapter 92, when a rental home is made totally unusable by a natural disaster, either the tenant or the landlord may end the lease, and a tenant may be entitled to a rent reduction for a partially unusable home — questions a lawyer can walk through case by case.

Every situation is different, and no one can promise a particular result. But it costs nothing to find out where you stand — our referral service is free.

Why Acting Quickly Can Matter

Most property policies require “prompt notice” of a claim, and TDI suggests documenting damage with photos and lists before repairs erase the evidence. Deadlines under the Prompt Payment of Claims Act start running when the insurer receives notice, and claims tied to a declared disaster move through a crowded system — adjusters, contractors, and courts all get busy at once. People who ask questions early tend to have better records, better documentation, and more options than people who wait.

Sources

1. Texas Public Radio — Flash Flood Emergencies issued for Kerr and Uvalde counties amid catastrophic flooding (July 16, 2026)
2. CBS Austin — Flash flood emergency declared for Kerrville area as catastrophic flooding prompts rescues (July 16, 2026)
3. Texas Department of Insurance — Flood insurance basics
4. Texas Department of Insurance — Insurance claim tips for Texas flood victims
5. Texas Insurance Code Chapter 542 — Prompt Payment of Claims
6. Texas Property Code Chapter 92 — Residential Tenancies