Among the victims are at least 27 children and counselors from Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp located along the Guadalupe River in Hunt, Kerr County.
The flooding began early on Friday, July 4, 2025, after relentless rain caused the Guadalupe River to rise by more than 26 feet in under one hour, according to state officials. The National Weather Service reported that up to 10 inches of rain fell in some parts of the Texas Hill Country, with rainfall continuing into the new week.
A combination of tropical moisture from the remnants of Tropical Storm Barry and a powerful thunderstorm system known as a mesoscale convective vortex contributed to the severity of the downpour. Experts say these types of storms are becoming more common as global temperatures rise.
“This was a worst-case scenario,” said Greg Waller, a hydrologist with the National Weather Service’s West Gulf River Forecast Center. “The storm hit fast and hard, and it overwhelmed the natural drainage systems in the Hill Country.”
At the time of the flooding, about 700 children were attending Camp Mystic. The camp confirmed on Monday, July 7, that 27 campers and staff members had died. Authorities are still searching for several others who remain missing.
“Our hearts are broken alongside the families enduring this unimaginable tragedy,” Camp Mystic said in a statement published on its website.
Photos taken near the camp show collapsed buildings, broken windows, and personal belongings like pink blankets and stuffed animals scattered in the mud.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick held a press conference on Sunday, July 6, in Kerrville, the city closest to the disaster area. Governor Abbott pledged continued support for the search teams.
“We will remain 100% dedicated, searching for every single one of the children who were at Camp Mystic as well as anybody else in the entire riverbed,” said Governor Abbott.
Local emergency workers, the Texas Rangers, and federal responders have been working around the clock. The Kerr County Sheriff’s Office reported that 18 adults and 10 children have been recovered and are awaiting identification.
Authorities are using rapid DNA testing to identify the bodies of flood victims. Colonel Freeman Martin of the Texas Department of Public Safety said samples are being flown to the University of North Texas in Denton for processing.
“We will have answers with rapid DNA in hours, not days,” Col. Martin said. “Families deserve closure as soon as possible.”
In nearby Cedar Park, a resident named Matthew Crowder helped save a family trapped by the rising water on Saturday, July 5, at about 4:00 a.m.
“I screamed as loud as I could to wake them,” Crowder recalled. “They couldn’t get out through the front, and their backyard had already become a lake.”
Thanks to his actions, Chrissy Eliashar and her four children were able to escape and reach safety.
“I’m so grateful he was there,” Eliashar said. “He really saved us.”
So far, President Donald Trump has signed a major disaster declaration for Kerr County on Sunday, July 6, unlocking FEMA support and federal funding for emergency response. He announced plans to visit Texas on Friday, July 11.
“We wanted to give them space to work without disruption,” Trump told reporters.
Weather Warnings
As of Monday, July 7, the National Weather Service has extended a flood watch through the evening for central Texas. Forecasters warn that additional rainfall could worsen conditions in affected areas, including the Guadalupe and Llano River basins.
“This level of flooding is rare, but with a warming world, we’re seeing these events happen more frequently,” said hurricane expert Michael Lowry.
Several organizations are accepting donations for those affected:
-
Kerr County Flood Relief Fund, hosted by the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country
-
World Central Kitchen, currently operating a mobile kitchen on-site
-
The Salvation Army, distributing supplies to displaced families
-
Verified GoFundMe campaigns for individual victims and families
According to Waller, they issued warnings as fast as we got the data.
“But there’s more to do to ensure the right people get the right message in time,” he said.
For now, Texas grieving and searching.
