Devastating Flash Floods in Central Texas
KERR COUNTY — Search-and-rescue teams fanned out along the Guadalupe River on Saturday, a day after historic floodwaters swept through small Central Texas towns and campsites, leaving at least 43 people dead and an unknown number unaccounted for.
In the wake of the early morning floods on the Fourth of July, girls from Camp Mystic — a Christian summer camp in Hunt that draws campers from the Dallas-Fort Worth area — remained missing, with 27 unaccounted for as the rescue effort stretched into its second day.
The sweeping search involving local, state and federal agencies mobilized more than a dozen helicopters and hundreds of emergency workers and volunteers.
Search and Rescue Efforts
“We’re not going to stop today or tomorrow; we will stop when the job is completed,” Gov. Greg Abbott said during a news conference Saturday afternoon. “This is a 24/7 operation, day and night, because we know that we are looking for Texans and Americans, and we put them as our top priority.”
Saturday evening, Abbott said on X he visited Camp Mystic and found it and the river running along it “horrendously ravaged in ways unlike I’ve ever seen in any natural disaster.”
“The height the rushing water reached to the top of cabins was shocking,” he wrote. “We won’t stop until we find every girl who was in those cabins.”
Local officials in Kerr County, roughly 60 miles northwest of San Antonio, said Saturday evening the death toll was 15 children and 28 adults, while more than 800 people had been rescued. Those figures were subject to change, they said.
More than 2,500 customers were without power in Kerr County Saturday morning, according to the Kerrville Public Utility Bureau — a number that dropped to under 700 by shortly after 5 p.m.
Response and Relief Efforts
On Friday, Texas had deployed more than 1,000 state responders and over 800 vehicles and equipment assets, Abbott said in a news release. The governor also said he signed a disaster declaration for 15 counties. On Saturday, he expanded the declaration to include Bexar, Burnet, Caldwell, Guadalupe, Travis and Williamson counties.
In addition, Dallas Fire-Rescue deployed a medical support team and other water rescue resources to the Hill Country. The Fort Worth Fire Department sent 17 firefighters to the region, and Arlington sent four firefighters.
On Saturday, President Donald Trump said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was traveling to Texas and his administration was working with officials on the ground.
Eyewitness Accounts
As the sun rose Saturday morning, the Guadalupe River, winding through southern Kerrville, fell to just 3 feet — nearly 20 feet below its crest the day before, according to NOAA water level forecasts. Low-lying roads crossing the river were blocked by patrol vehicles. Downtown businesses used sidewalk signs to display emergency response lines.
Early Friday, heavy rains pushed the Guadalupe River at Hunt to its second-highest height on record, according to the National Weather Service. By 9 p.m., local officials said there had been at least 24 fatalities — more than double the death toll of a 1987 flood there that claimed the lives of 10 teenagers from North Texas.
“The camp was completely destroyed,” Elinor Lester, 13, one of hundreds of campers at Camp Mystic, told The Associated Press. “A helicopter landed and started taking people away. It was really scary.”
Late Friday night, the city of Kerrville established a reunification intake phone line for Camp Mystic parents.
Meanwhile, North Texas families held onto hope that they’d hear from their missing loved ones.
A Grim Search
In neighboring Hunt, residents likened the aftermath to the path of a tornado. Cars, boats and wooden bed frames were lodged into trees, and branches were tangled in knots around downed power lines.
“We’ve got another body over here,” a search crew member yelled shortly before 10 a.m. Saturday from a patch of grass along State Highway 39.
“We’ll be right there,” a state trooper replied from the window of his patrol vehicle.
Questions about Warnings and Evacuations
The flooding in the middle of the night on the Fourth of July holiday caught many residents, campers and officials by surprise. AccuWeather said the private forecasting company and the National Weather Service sent warnings about potential flash flooding hours before the devastation.
“These warnings should have provided officials with ample time to evacuate camps such as Camp Mystic and get people to safety,” AccuWeather said in a statement that called the Texas Hill County one of the most flash flood-prone areas of the U.S. because of its terrain and many water crossings.
Conclusion
The flash floods in Central Texas have resulted in a devastating loss of life and widespread destruction. As the search and rescue efforts continue, officials are working to provide support and resources to those affected by the disaster.
The community is coming together to help those in need, and donations are being accepted to support the relief efforts. The road to recovery will be long and difficult, but with the help of everyone involved, the community will rebuild and heal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What happened in Central Texas? A: Historic floodwaters swept through small Central Texas towns and campsites, leaving at least 43 people dead and an unknown number unaccounted for.
Q: What is the current situation? A: Search-and-rescue teams are continuing their efforts, and officials are working to provide support and resources to those affected by the disaster.
Q: How can I help? A
