Texas: The death toll from catastrophic flash flooding in central Texas has risen to at least 43, with dozens still unaccounted for, authorities confirmed Saturday. Among the dead are 15 children, as search and rescue teams continue to comb the flood-ravaged Hill Country for missing campers, tourists, and residents.
Officials warn that the number could still rise significantly, as flooding extended beyond Kerr County the epicenter of the disaster to surrounding areas. Travis County reported four confirmed deaths and 13 missing, while Kendall County officials confirmed one fatality. Some outlets have reported a possible death toll as high as 52, though that figure remains unverified.
The floods were triggered by a sudden storm that dumped nearly 15 inches (38 cm) of rain in just a few hours, sending the Guadalupe River surging over its banks and catching many off guard. Emergency responders rescued over 850 people, including some clinging to trees or stranded on rooftops.
One of the most alarming developments came from Camp Mystic, a nearly 100-year-old Christian girls' camp in Kerr County, where 27 campers are still unaccounted for, according to Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice. The camp had 700 girls in residence when the floods hit early Friday morning.
“We’re not putting a final number on the missing,” Rice said. “We just don’t know how many are still out there.” The floodwaters rose as high as 29 feet (9 meters) in some locations, overtaking cabins, homes, and rural bridges. Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said 17 of the 43 confirmed victims, including five children, remain unidentified.
Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly called the storm “unprecedented” in its intensity and speed. “We know rivers rise but no one expected this. Not like this.” In Comfort, a town downstream from the disaster zone, trees towering over 60 feet were ripped from the ground, and roads were buried under debris. A Reuters photographer documented a line of destroyed vehicles some with shattered windshields and bent doors abandoned near the swollen river.
Heartbreak struck Heart O’ the Hills, another nearby girls' camp, where co-owner Jane Ragsdale lost her life. Fortunately, no campers were present as the camp was in between sessions. The National Weather Service said the region received half its annual rainfall in a single day. Although the flash flood emergency has ended for most of Kerr County, a flood watch remains active for the wider area through Saturday evening.
Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick noted that many of the victims had traveled to the scenic region for Independence Day celebrations and may have been staying in tents, campers, or vacation rentals near the riverbanks.
The devastation was stark inside Camp Mystic cabins flooded to six feet high, with mattresses and belongings soaked in mud and walls torn apart. Videos circulating online show homes reduced to bare foundations and entire sections of riverbanks swept away.
“Complete shock,” said Tonia Fucci, visiting from Pennsylvania. “You could tell from the helicopters and rescues that so many people especially children were still missing. It just didn’t seem survivable.” President Donald Trump expressed condolences and support for the victims and praised first responders for their efforts. At a press conference, Governor Greg Abbott said he had requested an official disaster declaration, which Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed would be approved to unlock federal aid.
Amid mounting questions over preparedness, critics noted the National Weather Service’s forecast did not fully reflect the storm’s magnitude. Former NOAA chief Rick Spinrad said recent staffing cuts could have undermined early warning capabilities.
“With fewer forecasters and outdated systems, the ability to alert communities in time is compromised. That costs lives,” Spinrad warned. As rescue operations continue and families wait in agony for news, the region is left grappling with one of its deadliest natural disasters in recent memory.