Search for 27 missing girls continues after floods in Texas
With each passing hour, the outlook became more bleak. Volunteers and some families of the missing who drove to the disaster zone began searching the riverbanks despite being asked not to do so.
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Authorities faced growing questions about whether enough warnings were issued in area long vulnerable to flooding and whether enough preparations were made.
The destructive, fast-moving waters rose 26 feet (8 meters) on the river in only 45 minutes before daybreak Friday, washing away homes and vehicles. The danger was not over as flash flood watches remained in effect and more rain fell in central Texas on Sunday.
Searchers used helicopters, boats and drones to look for victims and to rescue people stranded in trees and from camps isolated by washed-out roads. Officials said more than 850 people were rescued in the first 36 hours.
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Debris, including a canoe, wrapped around a tree on the road to Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas.
CARTER JOHNSTON/NYT
A day of prayers in Texas
Gov. Greg Abbott vowed that authorities will work around the clock and said new areas were being searched as the water receded. He declared Sunday a day of prayer for the state.
'I urge every Texan to join me in prayer this Sunday — for the lives lost, for those still missing, for the recovery of our communities, and for the safety of those on the front lines,' he said in a statement.
In Rome, Pope Leo XIV offered special prayers for those touched by the disaster. History's first American pope spoke in English at the end of his Sunday noon blessing, 'I would like to express sincere condolences to all the families who have lost loved ones, in particular their daughters who were in summer camp, in the disaster caused by the flooding of the Guadalupe River in Texas in the United States. We pray for them.'
The hills along the Guadalupe River are dotted with century-old youth camps and campgrounds where generations of families have come to swim and enjoy the outdoors. The area is especially popular around the Independence Day holiday, making it more difficult to know how many are missing.
'We don't even want to begin to estimate at this time,' Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said on Saturday.
People reacted as they inspected an area outside sleeping quarters at Camp Mystic.
Julio Cortez/Associated Press
Harrowing escapes from floodwaters
Survivors shared terrifying stories of being swept away and clinging to trees as rampaging floodwaters carried trees and cars past them. Others fled to attics inside their homes, praying the water wouldn't reach them.
At Camp Mystic, a cabin full of girls held onto a rope strung by rescuers as they walked across a bridge with water whipping around their legs.
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Among those confirmed dead were an 8-year-old girl from Mountain Brook, Alabama, who was at Camp Mystic, and the director of another camp up the road.
Locals know the area as " flash flood alley" but the flooding in the middle of the night caught many campers and residents by surprise even though there were warnings.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott, center, was at Camp Mystic on Saturday.
Julio Cortez/Associated Press
Warnings came before the disaster
The National Weather Service on Thursday advised of potential flooding and then sent out a series of flash flood warnings in the early hours of Friday before issuing flash flood emergencies — a rare alert notifying of imminent danger.
At the Mo-Ranch Camp in the community of Hunt, officials had been monitoring the weather and opted to move several hundred campers and attendees at a church youth conference to higher ground. At nearby Camps Rio Vista and Sierra Vista, organizers also had mentioned on social media that they were watching the weather the day before ending their second summer session Thursday.
Authorities and elected officials have said they did not expect such an intense downpour, the equivalent of months' worth of rain for the area.
U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, whose district includes the ravaged area, acknowledged that there would be second-guessing and finger-pointing as people look for someone to blame.
Cortez reported from Hunt, Texas, and Seewer from Toledo, Ohio. Associated Press writers Susan Haigh in Hartford, Connecticut, Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Nicole Winfield in Rome contributed.
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Los Angeles Times
an hour ago
- Los Angeles Times
Death toll in Central Texas flash floods nears 70 as sheriff says 11 campers remain missing
KERRVILLE, Texas — The death toll from flash floods that rampaged through Central Texas rose to at least 67 on Sunday as rescuers maneuvering through challenging terrain found more bodies and continued their desperate search for many others, including 11 missing girls from a summer camp. Searchers in Kerr County have found 16 bodies since Saturday afternoon, bringing the total number of dead there to 59, said Sheriff Larry Leitha. The dead included 21 children, he said. He pledged to keep searching in that Hill Country region until 'everybody is found' from Friday's flash floods. Four deaths also were reported in Travis County, three in Burnet and 1 in Kendall. Rescuers dealt with broken trees, overturned cars and muck-filled debris in the difficult task to find survivors. Authorities still have not said how many people were missing beyond the 11 children and a camp counselor from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp. Families were allowed to look around the camp Sunday morning while nearby crews operating heavy equipment pulled tree trunks and tangled branches out of the water as they searched along a riverbank. Thunder rumbled from a new storm. A woman and a teenage girl, both wearing rubber waders, briefly went inside one of the cabins, which stood next to a pile of of soaked mattresses, a storage trunk and clothes. At one point, the pair doubled over, sobbing before they embraced. With each passing hour, the outlook of finding more survivors became even more bleak. Volunteers and some families of the missing who drove to the disaster zone searched the riverbanks despite being asked not to do so. Authorities faced growing questions about whether enough warnings were issued in area long vulnerable to flooding and whether enough preparations were made. The destructive, fast-moving waters rose 26 feet (8 meters) on the river in only 45 minutes before daybreak Friday, washing away homes and vehicles. The danger was not over as flash flood watches remained in effect and more rain fell in central Texas on Sunday. Searchers used helicopters, boats and drones to look for victims and to rescue people stranded in trees and from camps isolated by washed-out roads. Officials said more than 850 people were rescued in the first 36 hours. Gov. Greg Abbott vowed that authorities will work around the clock and said new areas were being searched as the water receded. He declared Sunday a day of prayer for the state. 'I urge every Texan to join me in prayer this Sunday — for the lives lost, for those still missing, for the recovery of our communities, and for the safety of those on the front lines,' he said in a statement. In Rome, Pope Leo XIV offered special prayers for those touched by the disaster. History's first American pope spoke in English at the end of his Sunday noon blessing, 'I would like to express sincere condolences to all the families who have lost loved ones, in particular their daughters who were in summer camp, in the disaster caused by the flooding of the Guadalupe River in Texas in the United States. We pray for them.' The hills along the Guadalupe River are dotted with century-old youth camps and campgrounds where generations of families have come to swim and enjoy the outdoors. The area is especially popular around the Independence Day holiday, making it more difficult to know how many are missing. 'We don't even want to begin to estimate at this time,' Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said on Saturday. Survivors shared terrifying stories of being swept away and clinging to trees as rampaging floodwaters carried trees and cars past them. Others fled to attics inside their homes, praying the water wouldn't reach them. At Camp Mystic, a cabin full of girls held onto a rope strung by rescuers as they walked across a bridge with water whipping around their legs. Among those confirmed dead were an 8-year-old girl from Mountain Brook, Alabama, who was at Camp Mystic, and the director of another camp up the road. Locals know the area as ' flash flood alley' but the flooding in the middle of the night caught many campers and residents by surprise even though there were warnings. The National Weather Service on Thursday advised of potential flooding and then sent out a series of flash flood warnings in the early hours of Friday before issuing flash flood emergencies — a rare alert notifying of imminent danger. At the Mo-Ranch Camp in the community of Hunt, officials had been monitoring the weather and opted to move several hundred campers and attendees at a church youth conference to higher ground. At nearby Camps Rio Vista and Sierra Vista, organizers also had mentioned on social media that they were watching the weather the day before ending their second summer session Thursday. Authorities and elected officials have said they did not expect such an intense downpour, the equivalent of months' worth of rain for the area. U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, whose district includes the ravaged area, acknowledged that there would be second-guessing and finger-pointing as people look for someone to blame. Vertuno, Cortez and Seewer write for the Associated Press. Cortez reported from Hunt, Texas, and Seewer from Toledo, Ohio. Associated Press writers Susan Haigh in Hartford, Connecticut, Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Nicole Winfield in Rome contributed.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Searches Enter Third Day as 70 Dead in Central Texas Floods
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Hundreds of first responders continue to comb through the Hill Country region of Texas for a third straight day after fatal flash floods swept through the region early Friday, killing nearly 70 people, with dozens still missing. Why It Matters Fast-moving floodwaters surged 26 feet along the Guadalupe River before dawn on Friday, sweeping away homes and vehicles in Texas Hill Country. The high-volume rainfall has killed dozens of people, while others remain missing and displaced. More than 850 people have been rescued in the last 36 hours, with search crews using helicopters, boats, and drones to locate victims and rescue people stranded in trees and isolated camps. The National Weather Service has activated several flood warnings across Texas, many of which are expected to last until at least Monday morning. Flooding is the second deadliest weather hazard in the United States after extreme heat, with most fatalities occurring when vehicles are swept away by rising waters. Search and rescue workers dig through debris looking for any survivors or remains of people swept up in the flash flooding on July 6 in Hunt, Texas. Search and rescue workers dig through debris looking for any survivors or remains of people swept up in the flash flooding on July 6 in Hunt, To Know In a Sunday update, the Kerr County Sheriff's Office noted that hundreds of local, state, and national, first responders are carrying out search efforts via ground, air, and water. "At present, there are over 400 first responders from more than 20 agencies at work in Kerr County. We have more than a dozen K9 units working in and near the river," the office wrote in a Facebook post Sunday morning. Kerr County is home to Kerrville, which was hit hardest by the floods, with local officials confirming 59 people died in the county from the floods. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said in a Saturday press conference, "We will be relentless in going after and ensuring that we locate every single person who's been a victim of this flooding event. We're not going to stop today or tomorrow. This is a 24/7 operation, looking for Texans and Americans." He vowed to "find every one of them." The state has deployed more than 1,300 personnel, and more than 900 vehicles and equipment assets in the search efforts. More than 15 state agencies are currently responding to flooding threats across the state, according to the governor's website. President Donald Trump issued a "Major Disaster Declaration" for the region, providing first responders access to more resources to continue their recovery efforts. In his social media post about the matter, he noted the Coast Guard's role in saving hundreds of people's lives in the region. What People Are Saying Democratic Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said in a CNN interview Sunday: "I know they're still searching for a lot of people, so we need to make sure that those in the boats and those in the helicopters have an unobstructed way to get to these places." Representative Joaquin Castro, a Texas Democrat, told CNN on Sunday: "Obviously the priority is on making sure that those girls are found and are saved —and anybody else who may be missing at this point—and then I think after that, we have to figure out in the future how we make sure that it doesn't happen again." President Donald Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Sunday: "I just signed a Major Disaster Declaration for Kerr County, Texas, to ensure that our Brave First Responders immediately have the resources they need. These families are enduring an unimaginable tragedy, with many lives lost, and many still missing. The Trump Administration continues to work closely with State and Local Leaders." Senator John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, said in an X, formerly Twitter, post on Sunday: "It's a very sad time, but we have seen remarkable heroism from our first responders & volunteers. As rescue efforts continue, Texans remain unified in prayer." What Happens Next? Abbott will hold a press briefing about the state's response to the flooding at 2:30 p.m. local time on Sunday. The press conference will be livestreamed on Facebook on the Texas Division of Emergency Management's page.
The Hill
2 hours ago
- The Hill
Texas floods: Death toll nears 70, 11 girls remain missing from camp
KERRVILLE, Texas (AP) — The death toll from flash floods that rampaged through Central Texas rose to at least 67 on Sunday as rescuers maneuvering through challenging terrain found more bodies and continued their desperate search for many others, including 11 missing girls from a summer camp. Searchers in Kerr County have found 16 bodies since Saturday afternoon, bringing the total number of dead there to 59, said Sheriff Larry Leitha. The dead included 21 children, he said. He pledged to keep searching in that Hill Country region until 'everybody is found' from Friday's flash floods. Four deaths also were reported in Travis County, three in Burnet and 1 in Kendall. Rescuers dealt with broken trees, overturned cars and muck-filled debris in the difficult task to find survivors. Authorities still have not said how many people were missing beyond the 11 children and a camp counselor from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp. Families were allowed to look around the camp Sunday morning while nearby crews operating heavy equipment pulled tree trunks and tangled branches out of the water as they searched along a riverbank. Thunder rumbled from a new storm. A woman and a teenage girl, both wearing rubber waders, briefly went inside one of the cabins, which stood next to a pile of of soaked mattresses, a storage trunk and clothes. At one point, the pair doubled over, sobbing before they embraced. With each passing hour, the outlook of finding more survivors became even more bleak. Volunteers and some families of the missing who drove to the disaster zone searched the riverbanks despite being asked not to do so. Authorities faced growing questions about whether enough warnings were issued in area long vulnerable to flooding and whether enough preparations were made. The destructive, fast-moving waters rose 26 feet on the river in only 45 minutes before daybreak Friday, washing away homes and vehicles. The danger was not over as flash flood watches remained in effect and more rain fell in central Texas on Sunday. Searchers used helicopters, boats and drones to look for victims and to rescue people stranded in trees and from camps isolated by washed-out roads. Officials said more than 850 people were rescued in the first 36 hours. Gov. Greg Abbott vowed that authorities would work around the clock and said new areas were being searched as the water receded. He declared Sunday a day of prayer for the state. 'I urge every Texan to join me in prayer this Sunday — for the lives lost, for those still missing, for the recovery of our communities, and for the safety of those on the front lines,' he said in a statement. In Rome, Pope Leo XIV offered special prayers for those touched by the disaster. History's first American pope spoke in English at the end of his Sunday noon blessing, 'I would like to express sincere condolences to all the families who have lost loved ones, in particular their daughters who were in summer camp, in the disaster caused by the flooding of the Guadalupe River in Texas in the United States. We pray for them.' The hills along the Guadalupe River are dotted with century-old youth camps and campgrounds where generations of families have come to swim and enjoy the outdoors. The area is especially popular around the Independence Day holiday, making it more difficult to know how many are missing. 'We don't even want to begin to estimate at this time,' Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said on Saturday. Survivors shared terrifying stories of being swept away and clinging to trees as rampaging floodwaters carried trees and cars past them. Others fled to attics inside their homes, praying the water wouldn't reach them. At Camp Mystic, a cabin full of girls held onto a rope strung by rescuers as they walked across a bridge with water whipping around their legs. Among those confirmed dead were an 8-year-old girl from Mountain Brook, Alabama, who was at Camp Mystic, and the director of another camp up the road. Locals know the area as ' flash flood alley' but the flooding in the middle of the night caught many campers and residents by surprise even though there were warnings. The National Weather Service on Thursday advised of potential flooding and then sent out a series of flash flood warnings in the early hours of Friday before issuing flash flood emergencies — a rare alert notifying of imminent danger. At the Mo-Ranch Camp in the community of Hunt, officials had been monitoring the weather and opted to move several hundred campers and attendees at a church youth conference to higher ground. At nearby Camps Rio Vista and Sierra Vista, organizers also had mentioned on social media that they were watching the weather the day before ending their second summer session Thursday. Authorities and elected officials have said they did not expect such an intense downpour, the equivalent of months' worth of rain for the area. U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, whose district includes the ravaged area, acknowledged that there would be second-guessing and finger-pointing as people look for someone to blame.
