Catastrophic Texas Floods Leave 13 Dead, 20 Children Missing as Guadalupe River Rises Sharply

On July 4, central Texas experienced devastating flooding that resulted in the loss of at least 13 lives. More than 20 children remain unaccounted for as the Guadalupe River rose over 20 feet in just 90 minutes overnight, according to officials. 

One of the most affected locations is Camp Mystic, a private girls’ summer camp situated by the river in Hunt, where urgent evacuations are currently taking place. 

On Friday morning, Texas Game Wardens were seen arriving in convoys of trucks to assist in evacuating children from the flooded campgrounds, as depicted in photos shared on their Facebook page.

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick reported that approximately 23 campers are still unaccounted for, emphasizing that their missing status “does not mean they are lost,” as helicopters, drones, and hundreds of rescuers persist in their search efforts. Parents of the campers expressed their frustration to CNN over the lack of updates regarding their daughters’ locations, heightening the need for immediate rescue actions.

The Guadalupe River at Hunt has reached its second-highest level on record, according to the National Weather Service, exceeding the catastrophic flood of 1987. A flash flood emergency was declared for Kerr County overnight, as more than 6.5 inches of rain poured down in a mere three hours — an occurrence expected only once in a century.

While families nationwide enjoyed the festivities of Independence Day, Kerr County residents encountered turmoil and sorrow. Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice recognized the unexpected nature of the disaster, stating, “Despite flood warnings, there were some developments that occurred very quickly.”

Sheriff Larry Leitha called on residents to remain indoors as rescue efforts progressed, highlighting that multiple individuals were still missing. The Texas National Guard, U.S. Coast Guard, FEMA, and various other agencies are on the ground providing assistance. 

President Donald Trump provided reassurance to Texas officials regarding federal aid. At the same time, Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz announced their collaboration to guarantee that local responders are equipped with the essential resources.

As the most intense rainfall starts to diminish, light to moderate showers are anticipated to continue throughout the evening in regions already inundated with floodwaters, maintaining ongoing challenges for rescue teams and residents.