Devastating floods leave more than 50 dead and dozens missing in Texas

More than 50 people have died and dozens remain missing due to flash flooding that affected southern Texas on Friday. The rains, which were described as “catastrophic” by authorities, began around 4 a.m. and caused the Guadalupe River to overflow in Kerr County, a region located in the south-central part of the state, about 60 miles from San Antonio.

One of the main areas affected was a summer camp called Mystic, where 750 young girls were staying. Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick reported that 23 of the girls had not yet been located. Larry Leitha Jr., the county sheriff, stated that “that does not mean they’ve been lost.”

Authorities indicated that 237 people had been rescued and that more than 500 officers were immediately deployed to begin the search for the missing. “I want all of you to know we will do everything humanly possible [to find them], looking in every tree and turning over every rock, to find your daughter or son,” Patrick told the girls’ families.

According to early reports, approximately five to 10 inches of rain fell in some areas, although some accounts registered up to 15 inches in certain areas — nearly half of the county’s annual precipitation. Meanwhile, the river level rose to approximately eight meters (about 26 feet) in just 45 minutes.

According to the sheriff, more deaths are likely, as the storms have not let up and are expected to continue through the night. Leitha also urged Kerr residents to remain indoors as rescue operations continue. Several shelters and reception centers have been set up in the community, where the landscape has been reduced to a mess of fallen power lines, flooded streets, and disrupted phone service.

Judge Rob Kelly, the county’s chief elected official, stated that the area lacks a warning system. “We didn’t know this flood was coming,” he said.

His comments were supported by Dalton Rice, the administrator of Kerrville, the county’s main city. “We could not anticipate this, despite flood warnings, despite everything going on, there were some things that happened very fast,” he said. Rice was referring to alerts issued by the National Weather Service in the early morning, warning that the county was at high risk for flash floods. That service has been crippled by budget cuts from the Trump administration and is, for the first time this year, facing hurricane season without round-the-clock staffing.

According to Rice, rescue teams are also working throughout the rest of the city to find and assist people who may have been affected. “We are still actively trying to find those that are out and those that are needing assistance,” he explained. He added that the main focus is “trying to figure out where people are, what’s going on, and how to best serve them.”

Texas Governor Greg Abbott wrote on his X account that the state is using all available resources to respond to the flooding, which he described as “devastating.” He said local authorities have deployed water rescue teams, opened shelters, and placed the National Guard and the Department of Public Safety on alert.

“The immediate priority is saving lives,” said Abbott. Hours later, he posted images of a dramatic rescue, showing an officer being lowered from a helicopter to save a person trapped among trees in the pouring rain. The officer descended by rope and carried the woman away in his arms through the air. “Air rescue missions like this are being done around the clock. We will not stop until everyone is accounted for,” the governor stated.

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