Central Texas reels from catastrophic flash floods over the July 4th weekend, claiming 82 lives, including 28 children. Search and rescue efforts intensify, with 11 Camp Mystic girls still missing.
The devastating flash floods that ripped through central Texas over the July 4th weekend have tragically claimed the lives of at least 82 people, including 28 children, as search, rescue, and recovery efforts continue across the state. The toll is expected to rise further as crews navigate challenging conditions to locate those still missing.
Kerr County remains the hardest hit area, with a confirmed 68 deaths. This heartbreaking figure includes 21 children, as reported by Sheriff Larry Leitha. He reaffirmed the commitment to “keep searching” until “everybody is found” from Friday’s catastrophic floods.
Beyond Kerr County, the impact of the floods is evident across the region:
- 6 deaths in Travis County
- 3 deaths in Burnet County
- 2 deaths in Kendall County
- 2 deaths in Williamson County
- 1 death in Tom Green County
The search for survivors and victims has been arduous, with rescuers contending with broken trees, overturned vehicles, and thick, muck-filled debris. Authorities have confirmed that 11 girls and a camp counselor from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp on the Guadalupe River, remain unaccounted for. This number has evolved as more individuals have been located and reunited with their families since the initial reports of dozens missing from the camp.
Families were granted access to the Camp Mystic grounds on Sunday morning, witnessing firsthand the profound devastation left in the wake of the floodwaters. Nearby, heavy equipment operators worked tirelessly to pull tree trunks and tangled branches from the river, their efforts underscored by the distant rumble of a new storm, a constant reminder of the ongoing weather threat.
Local and federal agencies have mobilized a massive response, deploying over 1,000 personnel to assist with search and rescue operations that have continued relentlessly since Friday. Over 200 people were rescued in the initial hours of the disaster, many by helicopter from treacherous floodwaters.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has declared a “24/7” rescue effort and visited the ravaged Camp Mystic site, calling it “horrendously ravaged in ways unlike I’ve seen in any natural disaster.” He vowed that efforts would not cease until every missing person is found. Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick confirmed communications with the White House, with President Donald Trump pledging “whatever we need, we will have.”
Continued Flood Threat Looms
Forecasters at the National Weather Service continue to warn that the threat of catastrophic flooding and heavy rainfall is far from over.
The slow-moving weather system remains over the state, prompting a flood watch for the region. Additional rainfall is expected, with isolated amounts up to 10 inches, making pinpointing exact locations of heavy downpours difficult. Residents are urged to remain vigilant and heed all weather warnings, as the danger of life-threatening flash flooding persists in several counties.
PREVIOUS REPORT: The death toll from the catastrophic flash floods that rampaged through Central Texas on Friday has tragically risen to at least 67 on Sunday. Rescuers, battling broken trees, overturned cars, and muck-filled debris in challenging terrain, have found more bodies and continue their desperate search for many others, including 11 missing girls and a camp counselor from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp devastated by the deluge.
In Kerr County, the epicenter of the disaster, Sheriff Larry Leitha confirmed that searchers have recovered an additional 16 bodies since Saturday afternoon, bringing the total number of dead in Kerr County to 59. Among the deceased in Kerr County are a heartbreaking 21 children. Sheriff Leitha pledged to continue searching the hard-hit Hill Country region until “everybody is found” from Friday’s unprecedented flash floods.
Beyond Kerr County, four deaths have been reported in Travis County, three in Burnet, and one in Kendall, further illustrating the widespread impact of the disaster.
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Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice had previously stated on Saturday morning that 27 girls were still missing from Camp Mystic, noting that 18 had been reunited with their families, with four more reunifications ongoing. The updated figure of 11 missing girls and a counselor reflects the ongoing, intensive search efforts and evolving situation. Authorities are maintaining privacy for the families and have not released a list of names for those who remain unaccounted for.
Families were allowed to look around the Camp Mystic site on Sunday morning, offering a glimpse into the devastation. Nearby, crews operating heavy equipment worked tirelessly, pulling tree trunks and tangled branches out of the water as they searched along the riverbank, even as the distant rumble of thunder from a new storm served as a stark reminder of the persistent weather threat.
Local and federal agencies have deployed more than 1,000 personnel to search for survivors and respond to the flooding, which has particularly devastated communities along the Guadalupe River, including Kerrville and Ingram.
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Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared a “24/7” rescue effort, addressing a news conference on Friday evening. Major General Thomas M. Suelzer, commander of the Texas National Guard, reported that over 200 people had been rescued from the treacherous floodwaters. Governor Abbott shared a dramatic video on social media depicting a responder dangling from a helicopter, successfully rescuing an individual stranded in a tree amidst the swirling waters below. The Kerrville Police Department affirmed on Saturday morning that “Rescue teams worked throughout the night and will continue until we find all our citizens.”
The devastation extended to another nearby girls’ camp, Heart O’ the Hills, where officials confirmed the tragic death of their director, Jane Ragsdale. While the camp was not in session, and most individuals present during the flood have been accounted for, the loss of Ragsdale has deeply impacted the community. “We are mourning the loss of a woman who influenced countless lives and was the definition of strong and powerful,” the camp stated on its website.
The impact of the flood is far-reaching, with Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo confirming that five of the confirmed victims are from Harris County, home to Houston. “All of Texas is impacted by this tragic event,” Judge Hidalgo stated, underscoring the widespread nature of the disaster.
Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick confirmed that his office has been in multiple contacts with the White House, with President Donald Trump assuring state officials, “whatever we need, we will have.”
Previous report: A catastrophic flash flood on Friday, fueled by relentless and unprecedented rainfall, has tragically claimed the lives of at least 27 people in central Texas, Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice confirmed during a press conference on Saturday morning. The grim toll includes 18 adults and nine children.
The sudden surge of water from the Guadalupe River has left communities reeling, with particular anguish centered around the fate of campers from Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp located directly on the river’s edge. Rice stated that 27 girls from Camp Mystic remain missing.
Out of respect for the families, officials will not be releasing a list of names for the missing girls. There’s some positive news amidst the tragedy, as 18 girls from the camp have already been reunited with their families, and an additional four reunifications are currently underway.
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The devastating flood has prompted a desperate, round-the-clock rescue operation that continued throughout Friday night and into Saturday. Local and federal agencies have deployed more than 1,000 personnel to search for survivors and respond to the widespread flooding, which has particularly devastated communities along the river, including Kerrville and Ingram.
ORIGINAL REPORT: A catastrophic flash flood, triggered by relentless and unprecedented rainfall, rapidly overwhelmed the Guadalupe River in central Texas on Friday, claiming the lives of at least 24 people and sparking a desperate, round-the-clock rescue operation that continued throughout Friday night and into Saturday.
The sudden surge of water has left communities reeling, with particular anguish centered around the fate of campers missing from Camp Mystic, a Christian girls’ camp situated directly on the river’s edge.
As of Friday evening, approximately two dozen campers from the Kerr County facility, located about 60 miles northwest of San Antonio, remained unaccounted for, leaving parents in agonizing suspense.
The devastation extended to another nearby girls’ camp, Heart O’ the Hills, where officials confirmed the tragic death of their director, Jane Ragsdale.
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While the camp was not in session, and most individuals present during the flood have been accounted for, the loss of Ragsdale has deeply impacted the community. “We are mourning the loss of a woman who influenced countless lives and was the definition of strong and powerful,” the camp stated on its website.
The impact of the flood is far-reaching, with Harris County Judge Linda Hidalgo confirming that five of the 24 confirmed victims are from Harris County, home to Houston. “All of Texas is impacted by this tragic event,” Judge Hidalgo stated.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared a “24/7” rescue effort, addressing a news conference on Friday evening. Major General Thomas M. Suelzer, commander of the Texas National Guard, reported that over 200 people had already been rescued from the treacherous floodwaters.
Governor Abbott shared a dramatic video on social media depicting a responder dangling from a helicopter, successfully rescuing an individual stranded in a tree amidst the swirling waters below.
The Kerrville Police Department affirmed on Saturday morning that “Rescue teams worked throughout the night and will continue until we find all our citizens.”
Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick confirmed that his office has been in multiple contacts with the White House, with President Donald Trump assuring state officials, “whatever we need, we will have.”
As rescue teams tirelessly search for the missing, forecasters at the National Weather Service warn that the threat of catastrophic flooding and heavy rainfall is far from over. The slow-moving system responsible for the initial deluges is continuing to crawl across the state, prompting a flood watch for the region until at least 7 p.m. local time on Saturday.
An additional 2 to 4 inches of rain are expected, with isolated amounts potentially reaching up to 10 inches.
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