Torrential rains send rivers surging, sweeping away homes and leaving families searching for loved ones amid ongoing rescue efforts.
At least 51 people, including 15 children, have died in catastrophic flash flooding that struck central Texas on July 4, leaving a trail of devastation across the region, according to officials.
At least 43 people were killed from the flooding in Kerr County. Eight more people died in nearby counties.
Among the missing are 27 girls from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp, Kerrville city manager Dalton Rice said at a press conference on Saturday evening.
“We are kind of looking at this in two ways called the known missing, which is the 27,” Rice said. “We will not put a number on the other side because we just don’t know.”
Rescue crews have evacuated or rescued more than 850 people so far, including at least eight who sustained injuries, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said at a Saturday afternoon press conference. First responders are continuing to comb flood-affected areas for those still missing.
Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr. said the day will be challenging for the community and voiced deep gratitude for the tireless efforts of teams battling the aftermath of the floods.
“People need to know, today will be a hard day,” Herring said. “Please pray for our community.”
The flooding struck before dawn on Independence Day, when torrential rain unleashed a wall of water along the Guadalupe River, causing it to rise 26 feet in just 45 minutes. Homes, vehicles, and entire stretches of river valley were swept away, leaving families desperate for news of missing loved ones and flooding social media with pleas for information.
Among those still unaccounted for are about two dozen girls from Camp Mystic, a private Christian summer camp situated along the Guadalupe River near Hunt, a community northwest of San Antonio.
“The camp was completely destroyed,” said Elinor Lester, 13, one of hundreds of campers at Camp Mystic. “A helicopter landed and started taking people away. It was really scary.”
On Friday, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick confirmed during a news conference that around two dozen girls remain missing from Camp Mystic out of more than 750 campers who were there. Officials said all individuals at roughly 18 other camps along the river have been accounted for.
Speaking at the Saturday morning press conference, Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said that at least one girl from Camp Mystic was confirmed dead and 27 are reported missing.
Rice said that search and rescue operations continued overnight into Saturday, with specialized equipment, including helicopters, trying to identify any heat sources in the flooded area.
“We did start boots-on-the-ground operations about 8 a.m. this morning, and started about southwest of Hunt, so southwest of Camp Mystic,” he said.
“These folks will be traveling very difficult terrain up through Ingram, and we’re going to start getting information,” he continued, adding that as crews make their way through the ravaged areas, “the information is changing constantly, and it’s going to be changing by the minute.”
President Donald Trump said that his administration is working with state and local officials to provide assistance, and that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem will be “there shortly.”
“Melania and I are praying for all of the families impacted by this horrible tragedy. Our Brave First Responders are on site doing what they do best. GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS,” Trump wrote in a July 5 post on Truth Social.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has issued a disaster declaration to expedite aid to affected communities and pledged full state resources to support rescue, recovery, and rebuilding efforts.
“This is a time when we, as a state, need God more than ever,” Abbott said in a statement, adding that over 1,000 state responders across over 15 state agencies are involved in the disaster response.
The floodwaters claimed the life of Jane Ragsdale, director and co-owner of Heart O’ the Hills, another girls’ camp in Hunt. The camp said she was “the heart and soul” of the community and that others at the camp had managed to reach high ground safely.
Meanwhile, the Kerrville Police Department said in a statement on Facebook Saturday morning that emergency resources from across Texas had been mobilized to aid in the search and rescue operations. “Our teams worked through the night and will continue until we find all our citizens,” the department stated.
The National Weather Service said Saturday morning that additional slow-moving thunderstorms could bring heavy downpours and flash flooding later in the day over already saturated ground in central Texas, particularly west of Austin.
Although widespread rain eased Friday evening, forecasters warned that storms may drift south through the day, with new rainfall totals of two to four inches possible and isolated areas seeing up to 10 inches.
A Flood Watch also remains in effect through Saturday evening for a broad stretch of south-central Texas, including Atascosa, Bandera, Bastrop, Bexar, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Comal, Fayette, Gillespie, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Hays, Kendall, Kerr, Lee, Llano, Medina, Travis, Williamson, and Wilson.
Forecasters warned that excessive runoff may cause rivers, creeks, and streams to quickly overflow their banks, posing a renewed threat to areas already battered by recent flooding.
“Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop,” the National Weather Service cautioned.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
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