By Joseph Lord
Contributing Writer
Dozens are dead and missing after July 4 flash floods in central Texas swept away homes, cars and people along the Guadalupe River outside San Antonio.
Flooding also affected the Llano River and nearby areas.
As of Sunday evening, the death toll had risen to at least 79 — most of those in the area of Kerrville, Texas. An unknown number of others remain missing, including 10 girls who had been attending a summer camp along the river.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott spoke about the state’s ongoing efforts to address the needs of those affected by the flooding in a Sunday press conference.
“We continue 24/7 operations to search for anybody who was affected by that deadly storm. We have our Department of Public Safety assets, the National Guard, Texas Task Force One and Two, and game wardens, all fully engaged in responding to the disaster in Kerrville,” Abbott said.
President Donald Trump, meanwhile, says he’s planning a trip to the flood-ravaged area later this week.
“Probably on Friday,” Trump told reporters on Sunday when he planned to visit Texas. “We wanted to leave a little time. I would’ve done it today, but we’d just be in their way.”
What Happened
The speed and ferocity of the floods caught even officials off guard — leading many residents and visitors in impacted areas unable to receive word before the flash flooding overtook homes, campsites, vehicles and bridges.
At 4 a.m. local time on July 4, the National Weather Service office issued an urgent warning about the potential for flooding, raising the alarm that the flooding could cause catastrophic damage and posed a severe threat to human life.
The region is prone to flash flooding due to its dry soil, which allows water to skate on top of the dirt rather than being soaked up. The storm that prompted Friday’s major flooding dumped 12 inches of rainfall over the area within just a few hours — leading to a shocking and swift rise in the Guadalupe and Llano Rivers.
By 5:20 a.m., some in Kerrville reported a concerning rise in water levels.
One video posted on X shows the scale of the flooding: Within 38 minutes, water overtook a bridge that was more than 25 feet off the ground. That same video captured a house being carried along in the flood before being moored beside the bridge by the flooding.
Casualties
While the final casualty count remains unclear, at least 79 people have been reported dead so far.
Kerr County was hit the hardest by the flooding.
There, search and rescue workers have so far recovered 68 bodies, including 28 children, according to Sheriff Larry Leitha in a Sunday afternoon press conference.
The other 11 fatalities were linked to flooding along the Llano River and other nearby counties, bringing the total death toll up to 79.
However, that number is expected to rise, as “there are 41 known missing,” according to Abbott.
Camp Mystic Girls
Among the missing are 10 girls from Camp Mystic, a summer camp for girls situated along the Guadalupe River.
Many of the girls at the low-lying Christian girls camp managed to escape.
Others reportedly died trying to save girls at the flooded camp, including camp director Richard Eastland as well as several young campers and a camp counselor.
The search is still on for 10 girls and a counselor from the camp.
“We will remain 100% dedicated to searching for every single one of the children who were at Camp Mystic as well as anybody else and the entire riverbed to make sure that they’re going to be recovered,” Abbott said on Sunday.
He said local officials, city and county and otherwise, are “working around the clock” to provide closure to those affected.
More Storms Expected
As survivors reel from the first round of flooding, officials expect more could be on the way.
Abbott’s press conference on Sunday was relocated from Kerrville due to fears of additional flooding in the next 24 to 48 hours, Abbott said.
The governor advised citizens to be “extraordinarily” cautious, saying that incoming storms will pose “life-threatening danger” to central Texans.
“There are dangers over the next 24 to 48 hours that could pose public safety threats to people in these regions, there is heavy rainfall that’s already occurred, and there’s more heavy rainfall that’s expected that will lead to potential flash flooding,” Abbott said, specifically mentioning the Concho Valley and Kerrville.
“If you’re in any of those regions, you need to realize, for one, you’re in an area that is already saturated with water,” he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
