Texas floods helicopter rescue mission. Credit: X @GregAbbott_TX
At least 51 people, including 15 children, are confirmed dead after flash floods tore through central Texas on Friday, July 4, devastating Hill Country and triggering one of the worst natural disasters in recent US history.
More than two dozen children from a summer camp remain missing as rescue efforts continue across several counties.
Guadalupe River rose over 8 metres in 45 minutes
The Guadalupe River surged by more than eight metres in just 45 minutes after torrential rains struck the region. Most of the deaths were reported near Camp Mystic, a Christian girls’ summer camp in Kerr County, where 27 campers are still unaccounted for. Around 750 children were at the camp when the flooding hit.
Sheriff Larry Leitha confirmed 43 fatalities in Kerr County alone, including 28 adults and 15 children. Of those, 12 adults and five children remain unidentified, as reported by CBS News.
According to Euronews, the death toll has continued to rise across counties, with search and rescue operations intensifying into the weekend. Over 160 air rescues were performed, and more than 850 people have been saved.
Elizabeth Lester, whose daughter Elinor, 13, was airlifted from the camp, told the Associated Press, “The camp was completely destroyed. It was really scary… there are people missing that I know of and we don’t know where they are.”
Officials admitted they did not foresee such a rapid rise in the river. Private weather service AccuWeather and the National Weather Service reportedly issued flash flood warnings hours earlier, raising questions about whether camps and residents were adequately informed.
Trump and Abbott pledge support
Governor Greg Abbott signed an updated federal disaster declaration and promised, “We will stop at nothing… to rescue every last person.” President Donald Trump called the floods a “terrible thing,” adding, “Melania and I are praying for all 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!”
The flash floods struck a region known as “flash flood alley” during the busy July 4 holiday weekend, making accounting for the missing even harder. Camp Mystic, Camp La Junta and Camp Waldemar were all affected. While La Junta and Waldemar confirmed all campers were safe, Camp Mystic remains at the heart of the tragedy.
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