A day after heavy rains caused the Guadalupe River to flood rapidly, resulting in deadly floodwaters sweeping through central Texas, authorities reported that while hundreds of people had been rescued, many were still missing and the death toll was rising.
Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly stated, “The rescue efforts have gone as well as expected. It’s now time for the recovery phase, which will be a long and challenging task for us.”
Sheriff Larry Leitha confirmed that at least 32 people had lost their lives, including 18 adults and 14 children. This number had increased from earlier reports on Saturday. Over 850 individuals were rescued or evacuated from the Guadalupe River area in Kerr County.
Camp Mystic was a major point of concern, with 27 campers reported missing, including 8-year-old Sarah Marsh and 9-year-old Janie Hunt, both of whom were tragically found deceased. The camp, a beloved destination for many Texas families, showed signs of significant damage following the flash flood.
Rescue operations were ongoing to locate survivors and recover victims in the devastated region. Responders were encountering challenges, such as finding people stranded on elevated ground or in trees. Authorities were working to identify the victims and notify their families.
Governor Greg Abbott assured in a press conference that search and rescue missions would continue until every individual was found. He also mentioned that the Trump administration had promised full support for the recovery efforts.
The catastrophic flooding had taken a toll on the serene and picturesque area along the Guadalupe River, with the full extent of the damage still unknown. Rescue teams were tirelessly working to locate missing individuals and provide assistance to those affected by the disaster.
Updating President Donald Trump throughout the day on the situation on the ground and planning to visit Camp Mystic later on Saturday, Governor Noem expressed that the President and Melania were deeply saddened by the tragic events in Texas. Camp Mystic holds a special place in the hearts of many, including alumna Cannon, who comes from a family with strong ties to the camp. The recent flash flooding in Hunt, Texas, resulted in the disappearance of over two dozen girls, causing widespread devastation and loss of life.
Rescuers have been working tirelessly to locate survivors and victims, with Governor Abbott commending the ongoing rescue efforts. The Texas National Guard has been instrumental in the operations, saving over 200 individuals from the floodwaters. President Trump has assured state officials of full support in the recovery efforts.
Tragically, the camp director of a nearby girls’ camp, Heart O’ the Hills, lost her life in the flooding. The camp community is mourning the loss of Director Jane Ragsdale, a beloved figure who impacted countless lives. The camp is assessing the damage to its facilities, which is described as significant.
Camp Mystic, a century-old girls camp founded in 1926, is located in the Texas Hill Country along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County. During its next scheduled session, which was set to begin on July 6, over 750 girls were present when heavy rains and flooding struck the region on July 4. The private nondenominational Christian camp, established by Edward “Doc” Stewart, a former coach at the University of Texas, faced severe flash flooding as river waters rapidly rose by 29 feet near the camp. Tragically, as of July 5, 27 campers were reported missing.
The camp has a historical background, having served as a rehabilitation and recovery facility for army air corps veterans during World War II. However, on July 4, 2025, it experienced record-breaking flooding following 14 inches of rainfall in San Angelo, Texas.
As rescue efforts continued amid the ongoing threat of catastrophic flooding and heavy rainfall, the National Weather Service issued a flood watch for the region until at least 7 p.m. local time on Saturday, expecting additional rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches with isolated areas possibly receiving up to 10 inches.
The danger extended to several Texas counties, including Kerr, Travis, Williamson, and Burnet, where life-threatening flash flooding was declared a “Particularly Dangerous Situation.” The sudden onset of flooding, triggered by intense rains of up to 12 inches per hour, caught many residents and officials by surprise, leading to a swift rise in river levels. Despite warnings issued by the National Weather Service, the speed and severity of the flooding left little time for evacuation or preparation, leaving many communities in a state of emergency.
In a recent post on X, it was reported that the area experienced more than 10 inches of rainfall, while the typical annual rainfall for the region ranges between 28-32 inches. The impact of this extreme weather was described vividly, with the example of four months’ worth of rain falling within a mere 6-hour period. The Guadalupe River near Bergheim, Texas, located around 35 miles north of San Antonio, saw a remarkable rise of 40 feet in just 3 hours, according to sources Doyle Rice and Elizabeth Weise.
The effects of the heavy rainfall were also felt in San Angelo, a city about 150 miles from Kerrville in central Texas, where the northeast area experienced severe flooding. Local authorities were engaged in search and rescue efforts for a missing individual, as reported in a city government communication on social media. To assist those impacted by the storm, the PaulAnn Baptist Church provided temporary shelter, and a disaster relief fund was initiated by the San Angelo Area Foundation. Additionally, the United Way of the Concho Valley was collecting donations of essential items like nonperishable foods, clothing, and water at the Concho Valley Turning Point’s facility.
Expressing gratitude for the community’s support, the local United Way emphasized the importance of rallying together to help neighbors in need during this challenging time. This information was sourced from Eduardo Cuevas and originally published on USA TODAY: Reporting a tragic toll of at least 32 fatalities in Texas due to the flooding, with ongoing search efforts for Camp Mystic campers.
