The flood damage in Texas' Hill Country was so extensive that veteran disaster responder Alix Seyfarth said it still stood out to her even after years of experience working in disaster zones around the world.
The Kerr County Lead reported that Alix Seyfarth, an Austin-based responder with the nonprofit All Hands and Hearts, said the destruction from the July 4, 2025 flood was among the worst she had faced.
Here's what to know
While discussing her team's work in Kerr County, Seyfarth told The Kerr County Lead that the flood stretched farther than what responders normally associate with a flash flood.
"Flash flooding typically just doesn't go for 20 miles, 25 miles. But the scale here was just — you guys were here. It was hard to fathom," she said during The Lead Live's Nonprofit Week.
All Hands and Hearts, an international disaster relief nonprofit focused on education, emergency response, and resilience, started working in the Hill Country after the 2025 flood.
By the time another flood hit on July 16, 2026, The Kerr County Lead reported that a smaller home repair team remained deployed in the area. In Kerr County, the organization operated out of the Center Point and Hunt fire stations, handling muck-outs, gutting damaged interiors, home sanitizing, and volunteer coordination.
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Seyfarth said that rebuilding after flooding can take far longer than a few weeks or months.
More background
Flooding can destroy homes, leave behind mold and contamination, disrupt school and work, and trigger costly repairs that strain both families and local economies. It can also create serious health and safety concerns, particularly when people are left without stable housing or safe indoor spaces.
Seyfarth said one major change since 2025 is that more local residents now understand the first steps of flood recovery.
"People know what to do," she said. "They started right away. They started asking the questions."
Decisions about whether to remove carpet and, as The Kerr County Lead described, how to handle wall paneling or a concrete subfloor can affect both household safety and the cost of rebuilding.
Seyfarth said All Hands and Hearts is still rebuilding schools in Nepal after the 2015 earthquake and homes in North Carolina after a disaster there. The organization is also accepting donations to help support its work in Hill Country.
What's being done?
All Hands and Hearts has shifted more of its focus to structural mitigation — helping homes better withstand future floods rather than only repairing the damage already done.
Seyfarth pointed to several practical measures: "Different materials. Making sure outlets are up at four feet instead of two. Putting in a French drain so it doesn't flood as much."
According to The Kerr County Lead, All Hands and Hearts is partnering with Texas State University and San Antonio-area VOAD networks to expand the development and sharing of mitigation education.
Planning in advance before a disaster suddenly strikes can potentially lower repair costs, reduce health risks, and limit the displacement of people.
"How do we go from being a state that needs to respond to one that can educate its residents and provide resiliency measures ahead of time? Different materials. Making sure outlets are up at four feet instead of two. Putting in a French drain so it doesn't flood as much," she said.
Where can I learn more?
Seyfarth's account fits into a broader picture of the effects of extreme flooding, as well as the long road to recovery. The articles below also show how storm tracking and post-disaster conditions can shape what communities face before and after the water recedes.
• Across Texas, farmers faced devastating losses as floodwaters tore through fields and equipment.
• Meteorologists watching Mexico saw Tropical Storm Barry evolving more quickly than expected, leading to flooding.
• After storms, recovery crews and displaced residents can face dangerous post-disaster heat alongside flood damage.
Mitigation, preparedness, and long-term recovery matter in Kerr County and beyond. These stories make clear that the costs of a flood can keep mounting long after the initial rescue phase ends.
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