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Texas Floods Kill 51 People, Including 15 Children – Search for Missing Still Ongoing

Published by Tope Fakinlede on July 6th, 2025.

Texas Floods Kill 51 People, Including 15 Children – Search for Missing Still Ongoing

Rescue teams across central Texas are working tirelessly to locate dozens of missing individuals following devastating flash floods that have taken the lives of 51 people, among them 15 children.

Kerr County has borne the brunt of the disaster, with 43 confirmed deaths and 27 children still unaccounted for. Many of those missing were attending a Christian summer camp situated along the Guadalupe River.

“Our mission is far from over—we won’t stop until every person is found,” said Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha.

Tragedy has also touched other regions, including Travis and Tom Green counties, where several fatalities have been reported. Flash flood alerts remain active as forecasters warn of continued rainfall through the weekend.

So far, roughly 850 people have been rescued from affected areas. During a press briefing on Saturday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced an expanded disaster declaration to bolster ongoing search and recovery operations.

“We’re going to find every missing person—no matter how long it takes,” Abbott stated.

Authorities stress that the effort remains a search and rescue mission, not a recovery operation. Emergency crews are scouring the Guadalupe River, searching for survivors possibly swept away by surging water.

President Donald Trump confirmed that federal agencies are coordinating with local responders to manage the crisis.

The National Weather Service forecasted between 2 to 5 inches of additional rainfall on Saturday, with isolated areas potentially receiving up to 10 inches—further complicating rescue efforts.

Much of the focus remains on Camp Mystic, a girls-only Christian camp heavily impacted by the floods. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick noted that many of the 27 missing children are under 12 years old. Photos from the site show tents and cabins in ruins, with personal items such as teddy bears and bedding buried in mud.

The floodwaters rose rapidly—more than 26 feet in less than an hour—catching many campers off guard while they slept. An email sent to families from Camp Mystic assured that if they had not been contacted, their child had been accounted for.

Heartbreaking details are beginning to emerge about those lost. Among the victims are sisters Blair and Brooke Harber, aged 13 and 11.

To honor those affected, a special Mass will be held on Sunday at Notre Dame Catholic Church.

During what was meant to be a joyful Independence Day weekend, numerous families are now grappling with the unthinkable. Lorena Guillen, whose riverside home and business were destroyed, recalled hearing desperate screams from a family caught in the floodwaters. “They were clinging to trees, waiting for help,” she said. “But rescuers couldn’t reach them in time.”

At the Arcadia Live Theater in Kerrville, emotional reunions took place as parents reconnected with children who had been evacuated from nearby Camp Waldemor. Rachel Reed drove five hours from Dallas to retrieve her daughter. “So many of our church and school families have been impacted,” she told reporters. “It could have easily been us.”

Elsewhere, survivors began returning to assess the damage. Jonathan and Brittany Rojas found only the concrete foundation of their relatives’ home. The mother and infant are still missing; a teenage son, Leo, survived after being entangled in barbed wire.

One man named Anthony discovered his apartment filled with mud and debris. Most of his possessions were destroyed—except for a small box containing childhood memories and a baby blanket. “I’ve lost everything,” he said. “Now I’m trying to figure out what comes next.”