KERR COUNTY, TEXAS — The search for survivors continues after devastating flash floods swept through central Texas, leaving at least 50 people dead, including 15 children, and 27 children still missing from a Christian summer camp in Kerr County.
The floods, fueled by torrential overnight rains, caused the Guadalupe River to rise a staggering 26 feet in just 45 minutes, washing away homes, campsites, and vehicles before dawn on Friday. Authorities say 850 people have been rescued so far.
The majority of fatalities were reported in Kerr County, located about 85 miles northwest of San Antonio. Sheriff Larry Leitha confirmed that many of the victims were children, including those staying at Camp Mystic, which housed 700 girls at the time of the disaster.
Officials say the floodwaters struck suddenly and ferociously while most people were asleep, leading to fears that many were caught unaware. Another girls’ camp in the area, Heart O’ the Hills, reported the death of its co-owner, Jane Ragsdale, though no campers were present at the time.
With questions mounting over the adequacy of early warnings, residents and families are demanding answers. “They knew there might be rain, they just didn’t know when or where it would hit,” said Al Jazeera’s Heidi Zhou-Castro. “Evacuations didn’t happen in time.”
Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the number of missing, especially among unregistered visitors who were camping near the river for the Independence Day weekend.
President Donald Trump responded Saturday, promising federal support and announcing that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem would be deployed to the disaster area. “Our brave first responders are doing what they do best,” Trump said on Truth Social.
Emergency officials vow to continue air, ground, and water-based search efforts until every missing person is found.
The tragedy draws haunting parallels to a 1987 flood in the same region, which claimed the lives of 10 teenagers from a church camp.
As the floodwaters recede, Texas faces tough questions—not only about climate resilience but about how many more lives might have been saved with better preparation.
