Dozens dead in Texas after devastating flash floods slam Hill Country, officials say
About 24 fatalities have been reported so far, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said Friday evening during a news conference, alongside Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and several other officials. As of Friday night, there had been 237 people evacuated, including 167 by helicopter, according to Major Gen. Thomas Suelzer, adjutant general for the state of Texas.
Patrick said there hadn't been "a drop of rain until the tragedy struck" earlier in the day, and that the Guadalupe River had risen about 26 feet in 45 minutes. An alert went out around 4 and 5 a.m. local time, he said.
Damaged vehicles and debris are seen roped off near the banks of the Guadalupe River after flooding in Ingram, Texas, Friday, July 4, 2025.
Michel Fortier/The San Antonio Express-News via AP
How did the Guadalupe River flood so quickly?
Dalton Rice, city manager for Kerrville, explained how the Guadalupe River flooded so quickly.
"When you look at the headwaters of the Guadalupe... there's a north and a south fork," Rice said Friday night. "Since 1987, under normal conditions, if you can call it that, you'll hit water in one of those areas, and those two forks will converge into the Guadalupe, which comes through the city of Kerrville."
"This rain event sat on top of that and dumped more rain than what was forecasted on both of those forks," Rice continued. "When we got the report, it was about 7 feet or so on the south fork, and within a matter of minutes it was up to 29 feet, and all of that converged at Guadalupe."
The Guadalupe River at Hunt reached its second-highest height on record, higher than the famous 1987 flood, the city said, citing the National Weather Service.
A raging Guadalupe River leaves fallen trees and debris in its wake, Friday, July 4, 2025, in Kerrville, Texas.
Eric Gay / AP
The Texas Division of Emergency Management had multiple meetings since Thursday to prepare, but the National Weather Service "did not predict the amount of rain that we saw," officials said, adding that the original estimate was up to 8 inches of rain.
Officials said they were still concerned about the weather, adding that "if you do not live in area, do not come."
Texas issued flash flood emergencies in five counties in West Texas on Friday as Hill Country continued to be slammed by severe rain and flooding. Between 5 and 11 inches of rain have fallen in northwestern Bandera County, Central Kerr County, Northeastern Tom Green County, East Central Kerr County and West Central Kendall County, according to the National Weather Service.
A man surveys damage left by a raging Guadalupe River, Friday, July 4, 2025, in Kerrville, Texas.
Eric Gay / AP
Search and rescue operations are ongoing
There are hundreds of people on the ground from various units helping with search and rescue operations, officials said, which include drones and helicopters.
"We brought in over 100 troopers this morning," Col. Freeman Martin, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said during Friday night's news briefing. "And they've worked all day, rescues, high water vehicles, boats, rescue divers, seven rescue helicopters with hoist capabilities."
The governor signed a disaster declaration for several counties during the Friday night presser, saying it "ensures all the counties will have access to every tool, strategy, personnel that the state of Texas can provide to them, which will be limitless."
"We will stop at nothing to ensure that every asset and person and plane, whatever is needed, is going to be involved in the process of rescuing every last person and ensure everybody involved in this is going to be fully accounted for," Abbott said.
A helicopter flies over the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept through the area, Friday, July 4, 2025, in Kerrville, Texas.
Eric Gay / AP
First responders scan the banks of the Guadalupe River for individuals swept away by flooding in Ingram, Texas, Friday, July 4, 2025.
Michel Fortier/The San Antonio Express-News via AP
"Between 23 to 25" people still missing from Camp Mystic
"We don't have an estimate" on how many people are missing, Sheriff Leitha said Friday night, adding that somewhere "between 23 and 25" campers were still believed to be missing from Camp Mystic.
Earlier Friday, Patrick addressed parents of children at Camp Mystic, where there were about 750 children at summer camp when the floods hit. The lieutenant governor, who was acting as governor while Abbott was on vacation, said they are praying for all those missing "to be found alive."
"If they are alive and safe, we will find them and bring them home to you," Patrick said during an afternoon news conference.
Families line up at a reunification center after flash flooding it the area, Friday, July 4, 2025, in Ingram, Texas.
Eric Gay / AP
The camp said in a statement, read by Patrick, that there has been a "catastrophic level" of flooding.
Patrick said Camp Mystic is an all-girls summer camp in the area that has several camps with thousands of children attending for the summer. The camp said they have no power, no water and no Wi-Fi , adding that "the highway has washed away, so we are struggling to get more help."
A flood gauge marks the height of water flowing over a farm-to-market road near Kerrville, Texas, on Friday, July 4, 2025.
Eric Gay / AP
A man surveys damage left by a raging Guadalupe River, Friday, July 4, 2025, in Kerrville, Texas.
Eric Gay / AP
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said in a statement posted to social media, "Please pray right now for everyone in the Hill Country, especially Camp Mystic." He said multiple helicopters are performing search and rescue, and added that he's spoken with Gov. Abbott, Lt. Gov Patrick, the head of the Texas Division of Emergency Management and President Trump.
"President Trump committed ANYTHING Texas needs," Cruz said.
Abbott said the state has mobilized resources to assist those dealing with the floods.
"Texas is providing all necessary resources to Kerrville, Ingram, Hunt and the entire Texas Hill Country dealing with these devastating floods," Abbott said earlier Friday in a statement. "The State of Texas today has mobilized additional resources in addition to the resources sent in preparation for the storms. I urge Texans to heed guidance from state and local officials and monitor local forecasts to avoid driving into flooded areas."
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