Rescue teams in central Texas continue an extensive search operation for dozens still missing after catastrophic flash floods claimed at least 51 lives, including 15 children. The floods have devastated multiple communities, with Kerr County emerging as the hardest-hit area, reporting 43 deaths and 27 missing children from a Christian summer camp located along the banks of the Guadalupe River.
Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha assured the public that search efforts would persist “until everyone is found.”
Fatalities have also been confirmed in Travis and Tom Green counties. Meanwhile, approximately 850 people have been rescued so far, as emergency teams comb flood-hit zones.
At a press briefing on Saturday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced an expanded disaster declaration to support ongoing rescue efforts. “We will be relentless in ensuring we locate every single person who’s been a victim of this event,” he said, emphasizing that operations remain in the “search and rescue” phase, not recovery.
Authorities are focusing heavily on the Guadalupe River, where several individuals are believed to have been swept away during Friday’s rapid rise in water levels. Meteorologists say the river surged by more than 26 feet in under an hour.
The U.S. National Weather Service has issued ongoing flash flood warnings for the weekend, forecasting an additional 2 to 5 inches of rain across the region, with some areas potentially receiving up to 10 inches.
Among the most affected sites is Camp Mystic, an all-girls’ Christian summer camp. Many of the 27 girls reported missing are under the age of 12, according to Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick. Images from the site show widespread destruction, with bedding and personal belongings buried in mud. Camp officials said that if parents had not been contacted, their children had been located safely.
Victims of the disaster include young sisters Blair and Brooke Harber, aged 13 and 11, whose deaths have been confirmed. A special memorial Mass is scheduled to be held Sunday at Notre Dame Catholic Church to honor the victims and their families.
Local residents described harrowing experiences. Lorena Guillen, who lost her home and business, recalled hearing screams from a nearby family swept away by the floods. “They were clinging to trees to be rescued. But the rescuers couldn’t reach them,” she said.
Rachel Reed, who drove from Dallas to retrieve her daughter from the affected area, expressed grief on behalf of the victims’ families. “The families of those campers are living every parent’s worst nightmare. It could have been me.”
Meanwhile, survivors have begun returning to assess the damage. One family found only the foundation of their home remaining, with a mother and infant still missing. Another resident, Anthony, said he lost all his possessions except for a box containing childhood photographs and a baby blanket. “Now I’m trying to figure things out,” he said.
President Donald Trump stated that federal authorities are coordinating closely with Texas officials in response to the disaster.
