Texas Floods: 24 Dead, Up to 25 Children Missing

At least 24 people have been confirmed dead and as many as 25 campers from an all‑girls summer program are still unaccounted for after sudden flash floods swept through central Texas on Independence Day, officials said.

President Donald Trump described the disaster as “shocking” and “terrible,” while Governor Greg Abbott announced that federal help is on the way.

Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick explained that the Guadalupe River surged 26 feet in just 45 minutes, turning the overnight deluge into a deadly torrent that destroyed property and claimed lives. He reassured anxious parents that anyone whose child has not been specifically identified as missing “is accounted for,” noting that many families simply cannot be reached because phone and internet service is down.

Rescue crews—bolstered by 14 helicopters, 12 drones, nine swift‑water teams and several hundred personnel—searched the swollen river and surrounding countryside through the night. Major General Thomas Suelzer said five helicopters with rescue swimmers aboard and high‑water military vehicles have already pulled 237 people to safety.

Game wardens reached Camp Mystic, where more than 20 girls were last seen before floodwaters tore through the grounds. Telecommunications outages in the Hill Country and Concho Valley have complicated efforts to locate campers and residents alike.

Kerr County officials issued disaster declarations early Friday as heavy rains dumped months’ worth of water in a few hours. Sheriff’s deputies reported multiple fatalities and missing persons, with Judge Rob Kelly conceding that there was no advance warning. “We didn’t know this flood was coming,” he said, adding that the surge eclipsed even the deadly 1987 church‑camp flood that killed 10 teenagers near Comfort.

With more storms possible, authorities urged people to avoid low‑lying areas, heed emergency alerts and never drive through flooded roads. “Move to higher ground,” the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office warned, while Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller pleaded: “Folks, please don’t take chances.”

The Kerrville Breaking News Facebook group, usually a space for locals to share restaurant tips, community events, and local resources, was overwhelmed on Friday with desperate posts from families searching for loved ones missing after the flash floods.

One mother shared a heartbreaking message, saying she hadn’t been able to reach her daughter and son-in-law after their home was swept away near Kerrville Lake.

Another woman from Austin said she lost contact with her grandparents, who live along the Guadalupe River, and hasn’t heard from them since the previous day.

Meanwhile, in New Jersey, at least three people lost their lives due to severe thunderstorms and heavy rainfall on Thursday night.

Among the victims were two men, aged 79 and 25, who died when a tree crashed onto their vehicle in Plainfield. In a separate incident in North Plainfield, a 44-year-old woman was also killed after a tree fell on her car during the storm.