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Abbott speaks in Kerrville to mark 1 year since deadly Texas flooding
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott spoke in Kerrville, Texas, on July 4, 2026, to mark the one-year anniversary of the deadly flooding in the Hill Country.
KERRVILLE, Texas - Texas Gov. Greg Abbott spoke in Kerrville on Saturday to mark a year since the deadly Hill Country flooding.
The governor started his speech by reflecting on 250 years of American independence before turning to the somber anniversary. He spoke about the courage of Texans who were affected by the flooding, calling it the region's "darkest Fourth of July."
Abbott later read the names of the people who perished in the floods.
The backstory:
More than 130 people were killed across several Central Texas counties when storms dumped more than 20 inches of rain in a matter of hours, starting late July 3, 2025.
A majority of those deaths happened in Kerr County, and more specifically, Camp Mystic near the town of Hunt. The Guadalupe River broke free of its banks and flooded the all-girls Christian summer camp, killing 25 campers, two teenage counselors and long-time camp director Dick Eastland.
July 4th deadly Texas floods, one year later
It's been one year since floodwaters swept through Central Texas over the July 4th weekend, claiming the lives of more than 130 people.
Camp leaders originally tried to reopen for the 2026 season, but later withdrew its operating license application. The camp also filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, citing at least $10 million in liabilities and trigging a halt to active wrongful death and negligence lawsuits filed by victims’ families.
The Source: Information in this story came from the governor’s office and previous FOX 7 Austin and FOX Local reporting.