A year after historic flooding killed more than 130 people in the Texas Hill Country, we meet a local official fighting for change — and getting more pushback than he expected. In the midst of it all, another massive flood happened. Was the community better prepared this time around?

After the Flood is a collaboration of The Texas Newsroom and FRONTLINE (PBS).

The post The Flood After the Flood appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

As we were putting the finishing touches on the fifth and final episode of After the Flood, another flood hit the Hill Country. So, we had to pivot.

How were these two floods different? Were elected officials more prepared? Did residents have timely information? That’s going to take some time to figure out, so our next episode will come out soon.

In the meantime, we caught up with Bob Canales and Lorena Guillen, owners of the Blue Oak RV Park in Kerrville. You heard from them in episode one. We wanted to know how they were doing and how they felt about yet another historic flood hitting this part of Texas. 

After the Flood is a collaboration of The Texas Newsroom and FRONTLINE (PBS).

The full transcript of this episode of After the Flood is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps.

The post A Note on Episode 5 appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

On July 5, 2025, one day after the deadly floods in Kerr County, another flood hit the community of Sandy Creek 100 miles away. Nine people died and more than 100 homes were damaged or destroyed.

Ashlee Willis and her mother, Brandy Gerstner, lost everything in that flood and didn’t get the help they expected in the direct aftermath. In the months that have followed, they’ve discovered what many disaster victims confront: just how complicated the recovery process can be.

After the Flood is a collaboration of The Texas Newsroom and FRONTLINE (PBS).

The full transcript of this episode of After the Flood is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps.

The post Feeling Forgotten appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

After Matthew and Wendie Childress buried their only daughter, Chloe, an 18-year-old counselor at Camp Mystic, they turned their grief into action. In this episode, Matthew and other Camp Mystic families head to the Capitol in Austin to fight for stronger regulations around summer camps. Months later, they finally learn what really happened the night Chloe died in the flood along with another counselor, camp co-director Dick Eastland and 25 campers.

After the Flood is a collaboration of The Texas Newsroom and FRONTLINE (PBS).

The full transcript of this episode of After the Flood is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps.

The post Who, When, Where…and Now What? appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Winding rivers and scenic canyons make the Hill Country beautiful. But its beauty also makes it susceptible to flooding, so much so that it’s earned the nickname “Flash Flood Alley”. In this episode we dive into what makes the area so vulnerable and look into its history of flooding — and how residents and visitors alike have been warned of massive floods before. We also follow Matthew and Wendie Childress as they process earth-shattering news about their daughter, Chloe, a counselor at Camp Mystic.

After the Flood is a collaboration of The Texas Newsroom and PBS’s Frontline.

The full transcript of this episode of After the Flood is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps.

The post A Place Where Memories Are Made appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Matthew Childress and his wife, Wendie, learn that their daughter, Chloe, an 18-year-old counselor at Camp Mystic, is missing. And residents in Kerr County recount how they survived the grueling initial hours of the flood.

After the Flood is a collaboration of The Texas Newsroom and PBS’s Frontline.

The full transcript of this episode of After the Flood is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps.

The post The Day Of appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

In the early morning hours of July 4th, 2025, floodwaters tore through the Texas Hill Country, catching most people by surprise. More than 130 people died, many of them children. For people who lived through the disaster — and those who lost friends and family — the devastation was unimaginable. And that was just the beginning. 

Reporters from The Texas Newsroom have been talking to survivors of the flood about what happened that night and what it’s been like in the aftermath. This podcast is about their stories and the questions they have. Why did this happen? How could this happen with almost no warning? And could it happen again?

After the Flood is a production of The Texas Newsroom and PBS’ FRONTLINE. Find it wherever you get your podcasts on June 24.

The post Introducing: After the Flood appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.