Dozens of rescue crews continued searching on Saturday for people missing after a devastating flash flood tore through Texas Hill Country during a powerful storm. At least 27 people, including nine children, have been confirmed dead, according to authorities.
The disaster struck in the early hours of Friday when the Guadalupe River rose rapidly—more than 26 feet (8 meters) in just 45 minutes—sweeping away homes, vehicles, and camps, including the Christian summer retreat Camp Mystic, located along the riverbank.
City administrator Dalton Rice said that at least 27 people remained missing from the camp, most of them young girls. Elsewhere in the region, others were also unaccounted for, though no official total had been released.
“Today will be a very difficult day,” warned Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr. at a press conference.
Helicopters, boats, drones, and specialized teams were deployed in ongoing search and rescue efforts, while hundreds of families took to social media to post photos and pleas for information about their missing loved ones.
“The camp was completely destroyed,” recounted 13-year-old Elinor Lester, one of the survivors. “A helicopter landed and started taking people away. It was terrifying.” She described how rescuers tied a rope for the girls to hold on to as they crossed a bridge with floodwaters rushing around their legs.
Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha confirmed that over 850 people had been rescued so far. Many were found trapped in trees or elevated structures, with U.S. Coast Guard helicopters assisting from the air.
The flood caught residents, campers, and local officials off guard during Fourth of July holiday celebrations. The area, located northwest of San Antonio, is a popular summer destination for camping and swimming.
AccuWeather and the National Weather Service had issued flash flood warnings several hours before the catastrophe. “These alerts should have given officials enough time to evacuate camps like Mystic and get people to safety,” AccuWeather said in a statement, noting that Texas Hill Country is among the most flood-prone regions in the U.S. due to its terrain and numerous waterways.
However, local officials defended their response. “The forecasts didn’t predict the amount of rain we actually saw,” said Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management. While predictions earlier in the week had warned of up to six inches (15 cm) of rain, the actual volume far exceeded those estimates.
Bob Fogarty, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Austin/San Antonio, said a river gauge near Camp Mystic recorded a rise of nearly 22 feet (6.7 meters) in about two hours before it failed at 29.5 feet (9 meters).
“The water moves so fast that you don’t realize how bad it is until it’s on top of you,” Fogarty said.
More than 1,000 rescuers remained on the ground Saturday, with additional storms and flash flood warnings still in effect across parts of Central Texas.
