Kerrville: Texas floods have triggered a massive search and rescue operation after sudden flash floods devastated central parts of the state.
Kerr County has suffered the greatest tragedy, with 43 deaths confirmed and 27 children still unaccounted for from Camp Mystic, a popular Christian summer camp along the Guadalupe River.
The river rose more than 26 feet (8 meter) in under an hour, catching families and holidaymakers by surprise as they celebrated the Independence Day weekend. Blankets, toys and mattresses coated in mud now line the campgrounds, showing the force of the floodwaters that washed away mobile homes and roads.
Today I visited Camp Mystic.
It, and the river running beside it, were horrendously ravaged in ways unlike I’ve seen in any natural disaster.
The height the rushing water reached to the top of cabins was shocking.
We won’t stop until we find every girl who was in those cabins.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) July 6, 2025
Governor Greg Abbott has expanded the state’s disaster declaration to boost search operations. Abbott pledged relentless efforts to locate every missing person, stating that the mission remains a search and rescue, not recovery. So far, over 850 people have been rescued.
US President Donald Trump has promised federal support, working with local authorities to respond to what Trump called a shocking tragedy. The National Weather Service has warned of further rain across central Texas, with another 2 to 10 inches expected in already saturated areas.
Parents from across Texas have rushed to the scene to find their children. Many of the girls missing from the camp are under the age of 12. Emotional stories have emerged, like sisters Blair and Brooke Harber, aged 13 and 11, who are among the victims.
Local churches, including Notre Dame Catholic Church, will hold special Masses to honor the lost. Meanwhile, survivors return to devastated homes, with many finding little left but memories.
Texas Floods continue to test rescue teams as helicopters, drones and boats comb the riverbanks to find anyone swept away by the surging waters.
RELATED POST | Texas floods: 24 dead, dozens missing from summer camp
