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911 calls from deadly Texas flooding on July 4 are released by police: "Some callers did not survive"

Authorities are releasing hundreds of 911 calls from the deadly flash floods that devastated parts of Texas Hill Country on July 4, killing more than 130 people, including dozens of young campers.

Kerrville Police Chief Chris McCall warned that the calls received by dispatchers are distressing.

"Some callers did not survive," he said in a video posted on Facebook Thursday. "We ask that you keep them and their family members, loved ones and friends in your thoughts and prayers."

McCall said that starting at 2:52 a.m. on July 4, the Kerrville Police Department, which was staffed by only two people at the time, began receiving 911 calls. The dispatchers answered a total of 435 emergency calls, including 106 calls alone between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m., he said.

McCall praised the dispatchers for showing "incredible perseverance" amid the high call volumes to "provide assistance and comfort to every caller."

"Once the basic critical information was collected and no more assistance over the phone could be provided, telecommunicators were faced with the difficult decision to disconnect and move on to the next call," he said.

Search in aftermath of Texas flood
A 10-foot cross is seen along the banks of the Guadalupe River in front of Camp Mystic on July 18, 2025 in Hunt, Texas. Brenda Bazán /The Washington Post via Getty Images

The Kerrville Police Department said it worked with the Texas Attorney General's Office and determined that all the calls should be released without redaction in order to comply with Freedom of Information Act requests made by eight media outlets.

Most deaths during the floods were along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, including at least 27 campers and staff from Camp Mystic. Many of the campers who died were the camp's youngest attendees

Last month, the families of several campers and counselors who died in the flash flood filed a lawsuit accusing the camp and its owners of gross negligence and reckless disregard for safety.

Earlier this month, Camp Mystic announced it is installing new high-tech river monitors and safety upgrades. 

The Hill Country region is naturally prone to flash flooding because its dry, dirt-packed soil cannot soak up heavy rain. 

"As our community continues to recover, please make sure you're taking care of yourself emotionally," McCall said. "I'm proud of the strength and resiliency shown by our community in the wake of this tragedy, and the care and comfort we have shown for those lost."

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