Texas flooding latest: 9 children among 27 dead while frantic search continues for missing summer camp girls

Key Points

• Two Camp Mystic campers found dead, family confirm
• Death toll rises to 27 as search for missing campers continues
• 'Life threatening' flooding still ongoing, says weather service
• What caused the flooding?
• Witness accounts lay bare horror of the floods

In photos: Floods ravage west-central Texas, devastating the region

COMFORT, TEXAS - JULY 04: Boerne Search and Rescue teams navigate upstream in an inflatable boat on the flooded Guadalupe River on July 4, 2025 in Comfort, Texas. Heavy rainfall caused flooding along the Guadalupe River in central Texas with multiple fatalities reported. (Photo by Eric Vryn/Getty Images) (Getty Images)

Debris is left behind by a raging Guadalupe River, Friday, July 4, 2025, in Kerrville, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) (AP)

COMFORT, TEXAS - JULY 04: A Boerne search and rescue team member prepares for operations along the flooded Guadalupe River on July 4, 2025 in Comfort, Texas. Heavy rainfall caused flooding along the Guadalupe River in central Texas with multiple fatalities reported. (Photo by Eric Vryn/Getty Images) (Getty Images)

A flood gauge marks the height of water flowing over a farm-to-market road near Kerrville, Texas, on Friday, July 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) (AP)

27 campers are still missing, officials said

At a news conference Saturday morning, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha promised his team “will not stop until every single person is found.”

“One thing I want to tell you and assure y’all is, that we will not stop until every single person is found — we’ve got all the resources we need,” he said. How long that effort will take is unclear, he said.

So far, more than 850 people have been rescued or evacuated, officials said, but the search continues after the Guadalupe River rose to 29 feet in a matter of hours.

There are 27 missing campers from Camp Mystic, said Dalton Rice, the city manager of Kerrville.

“Don’t do your own searches,” Rice warned.

Vice President JD Vance calls Texas floods an 'incomprehensible tragedy'

Vice President JD Vance called the catastrophic floods an “incomprehensible tragedy.”

He shared a statement on social media on Saturday morning: “Our nation's heart breaks for the victims in Texas and their families. Just an incomprehensible tragedy. I hope everyone affected knows they're in the prayers of my family, and of millions of Americans.”

The vice president also shared a prayer:

“Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,and let perpetual light shine upon them.May the souls of all the faithful departed,through the mercy of God, rest in peace.”

Death toll rises to 27, Kerr County sheriff says

Nine children and 18 adults have been killed in the catastrophic floods, increasing the death toll to 27 people, according to the Kerr County sheriff.

“We are working hard to locate anyone who is still missing and ensure they are safe,” Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said on Saturday morning.

Roughly 850 people have been rescued, with eight suffering from injuries, CNN reported.

Trump administration is working with local officials as the president calls floods a 'horrible tragedy'

President Donald Trump announced the federal government is working with officials in Texas in response to the catastrophic floods.

“The Trump Administration is working with State and Local Officials on the ground in Texas in response to the tragic flooding that took place yesterday. Our Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, will be there shortly,” he posted on social media Saturday morning.

“Melania and I are praying for all of the families impacted by this horrible tragedy. Our Brave First Responders are on site doing what they do best. GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS!” the president continued.

Texas camp director dies amid devastating floods

Jane Ragsdale, the co-owner of Heart O’ the Hills camp in Hunt, Texas, died after the floods rampaged the area.

“We are mourning the loss of a woman who influenced countless lives and was the definition of strong and powerful,” the camp wrote in a statement.

The website described Ragsdale as the “heart and soul of Heart O’ the Hills.” Once a camper and counselor at Heart O’ the Hills, she later served as Program Director from 1978 to 1987 before becoming the camp director in 1988. She has been a co-owner of the camp since 1976.

The camp, located along the Guadalupe River, also noted that it was not in session during the tragedy “and most of those who were on camp at the time have been accounted for and are on high ground.”

Two Camp Mystic campers found dead, family confirm

Nine-year-old Janie Hunt, one of the dozens of missing children who attended Camp Mystic, was found dead, her family told CNN on Saturday morning.

The tragic news about the little girl comes after her mother told the outlet on Friday night that she hadn’t heard anything about her daughter: “We are just praying.”

The family of Renee Smajstrla, 9, also announced tragic news.

“Thank you to all our friends and family for all the prayers and outreach. Renee has been found and while not the outcome we prayed for, the social media outreach likely assisted the first responders in helping to identify her so quickly,” her relative Shawn Salta wrote on Facebook.

“We are thankful she was with her friends and having the time of her life, as evidenced by this picture from yesterday. She will forever be living her best life at Camp Mystic. Please continue to pray for the other families in Kerrville,” he said.

WATCH: Water rages in downtown Kerrville

The 'catastrophic' amount of rainfall is unusual for the area, experts say

Flash floods struck west-central Texas, causing the Guadalupe River to rise to a whopping 29 feet from just less than 8 feet in a matter of hours on Friday morning, according to the National Water Prediction Service.

“The flooding damage is catastrophic,” Kerrville Police Officer Jonathan Lamb told The Washington Post. “It’s the worst flood that we’ve ever seen.”

Just before 5.30 a.m. on Friday, the National Weather Service warned of a “swath of 5 -10" of rainfall has been estimated the last 3-6 hours across south-central Kerr County.” The service wrote: “This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION and a Flash Flood EMERGENCY is in effect.”

First Lady Melania Trump sends prayers for Texas flood victims

First Lady Melania Trump issued a statement in the wake of the devastating floods that have claimed 24 lives and have left at least two dozen children missing.

“My heart goes out to the parents in Texas during this difficult time. I am holding you in my thoughts and sending prayers for strength, comfort, and resilience,” she wrote in a social media post Saturday morning.

Rescue efforts continue after 237 people found

More than 230 people have been rescued as of Friday night after catastrophic floods rampaged the region, state officials have said.

The forecast “did not predict the amount of rain that we saw,” Nim Kidd, the chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, said at a press conference Friday. The National Weather Service data predicted three to six inches of rain, he said.

Officials confirmed 24 fatalities, but did not provide names. The search continues for the more than 20 campers who have gone missing.

What is Camp Mystic?

Floods have devastated Camp Mystic, a Christian all-girls summer camp where at least two dozen campers have gone missing.

The camp is 99 years old and is located in west-central Texas on the banks of the Guadalupe River.

According to the camp’s website, campers try to meet the “Mystic ideals,” which are to “be a better person for being at Mystic”, “let Mystic bring out the best in them,” and to “grow spiritually.”

What officials have said

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a disaster declaration Friday night, allowing search and rescue efforts to continue overnight across 15 counties.

"I am working in coordination with the state's emergency response team on the significant flooding that occurred in the Hill Country and Concho Valley regions in the early hours of this morning,” Lieutenant Gov. Dan Patrick said in a Friday night statement.

“The Kerr County Sheriff's Office has reported catastrophic flooding in the area, with several people missing and confirmed loss of life. Additional rain is forecast in those areas. Even if the rain is light, more flooding can occur in those areas. There is an ongoing threat for possible flash flooding from San Antonio to Waco for the next 24 to 48 hours in addition to the continued risks in west and central Texas,” he warned.

President Donald Trump called the flooding “terrible.” He signaled federal aid was on the way: “We’re working with the governor. We’re working with the governor. It’s a terrible thing.”

In pictures: Desperate rescue efforts underway

Severe flooding in central Texas on Thursday and Friday has resulted in at least 24 deaths. Many more were reported missing (Eric Vryn/Getty Images)

TEXAS-INUNDACIONES-FOTOS (AP)

Extreme Weather Texas

'I was scared to death'

At a reunification center set up in Ingram, families cried and cheered as loved ones got off vehicles loaded with evacuees, Reuters reports.

Two soldiers carried an older woman who could not get down a ladder. Behind her, a woman in a soiled T-shirt and shorts clutched a small white dog.

Later, a girl in a white "Camp Mystic" T-shirt and white socks stood in a puddle, sobbing in her mother's arms.

Barry Adelman, 54, said water pushed everyone in his three-story house into the attic, including his 94-year-old grandmother and 9-year-old grandson. The water started coming through the attic floor before finally receding.

"I was horrified," he said. "I was having to look at my grandson in the face and tell him everything was going to be OK, but inside I was scared to death."

Watch: Deadly flooding in Texas captured from bridge

Popular tourism area prone to flooding

The area where the flooding took place is known as "flash flood alley" because of the hills' thin layer of soil, said Austin Dickson, CEO of the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, which was collecting donations to help nonprofits responding to the disaster.

"When it rains, water doesn't soak into the soil," Dickson said. "It rushes down the hill."

River tourism industry is a key part of the Hill Country economy. Well-known, century-old summer camps bring in kids from all over the country, Dickson said.

"It's generally a very tranquil river with really beautiful clear blue water that people have been attracted to for generations," Dickson said.

Texas flooding: Desperate families post pictures of children as 23 girls remain missing

Texas parents frantically posted photos of their young daughters on social media with pleas for information as they remain missing after flash flooding.

More than 20 campers from an all-girls summer camp were unaccounted for Friday after floods tore through the state's south-central region.

At least 24 people were reported dead Friday and dozens missing after months worth of heavy rain fell in a matter of hours on Texas Hill Country, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said.

Read the full report:

Desperate search as up to 25 girls missing from Christian summer camp

Up to 25 girls are believed to be missing from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp.

Hundreds of rescuers have been drafted in to desperately search for the girls, who were swept away by a wall of water after it surged the flood zone.

On social media, parents and families posted desperate pleas for information about loved ones caught in the flood zone.

"The camp was completely destroyed," said Elinor Lester, 13, one of hundreds of campers at Camp Mystic. "A helicopter landed and started taking people away. It was really scary."

She said a raging storm woke up her cabin around 1:30 a.m. Friday, and when rescuers arrived, they tied a rope for the girls to hold as the children in her cabin walked across bridge with floodwaters whipping around the calves and knees.

People are reunited at a reunification center after flash flooding hit the area, Friday, July 4, 2025, in Ingram (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

'We clung onto a tree for an hour'

Witness accounts from Texas have laid bare the horror of the ongoing flash flooding.

In Ingram, Erin Burgess woke to thunder and rain at 3:30 a.m.

Just 20 minutes later, water was pouring into her home directly across from the river, she said. She described an agonizing hour clinging to a tree and waiting for the water to recede enough so they could walk up the hill to a neighbor's home.

"My son and I floated to a tree where we hung onto it, and my boyfriend and my dog floated away. He was lost for a while, but we found them," she said.

Of her 19-year-old son, Burgess said: "Thankfully he's over 6 feet tall. That's the only thing that saved me, was hanging on to him."

In pictures: Devastation in Texas after rivers surge

TEXAS-INUNDACIONES-FOTOS (AP)

TEXAS-INUNDACIONES-FOTOS (AP)

TEXAS-INUNDACIONES-FOTOS (AP)

APTOPIX Extreme Weather Texas (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

'Life threatening' flooding still ongoing, says weather service

The National Weather Service (NWS) for Austin and San Antonio has warned that “life threatening flash flooding” is still ongoing in parts of Texas.

“Flash Flood EMERGENCY now in effect for Burnet County,” it wrote on social media. “5-12 inches of rain has occurred, an additional 2-5 inches possible. This is a Particularly Dangerous Situation with life-threatening flash flooding.”

The service earlier warned of “very dangerous” flash flooding in north-west Travis County, where a “very slow moving disturbance is producing extreme rainfall rates”.

What caused the flooding?

The catastrophic flooding was caused by torrential rain - but city authorities and forecasters did not predict that it was about to strike.

One National Weather Service forecast this week had called for only between three and six inches (76 to 152 millimeters) of rain, said Nim Kidd, the chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management.

"It did not predict the amount of rain that we saw," he said.

Officials defended their preparations for severe weather and their response but said they had not expected such an intense downpour that was, in effect, the equivalent of months' worth of rain for the area.

Extreme Weather Texas (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)