Flooding is common in Texas Hill Country. This was different
Jul 07, 2025•11 min
Listen to this episode in Metacast mobile app
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more
Summary
This episode examines the devastating flash flooding in Texas Hill Country, sharing harrowing personal accounts from survivors who witnessed the rapid rise of the Guadalupe River. It also provides on-the-ground reporting from Kerr County, detailing the scale of destruction, ongoing search and rescue efforts, and community resilience. The discussion further explores the potential link between climate change and the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme rain events like this one.Episode description
Imagine standing in water shallow enough to just barely hit the soles of your feet. And then it rises so fast that in just about ten minutes, it's up to your neck. That's how fast the Guadalupe River in Texas rose last week, according to state officials.
Twenty-six feet in less than an hour.
That flooding left dozens dead, devastated homes and businesses. Officials, emergency crews and volunteers are hoping more survivors will be found. But in a press conference today, officials warned the death toll will continue to rise.
In the Texas Hill Country, climate change and geography conspired to create one of the worst floods in generations.
For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
Twenty-six feet in less than an hour.
That flooding left dozens dead, devastated homes and businesses. Officials, emergency crews and volunteers are hoping more survivors will be found. But in a press conference today, officials warned the death toll will continue to rise.
In the Texas Hill Country, climate change and geography conspired to create one of the worst floods in generations.
For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android