Catastrophic Flooding Strikes Central Texas
A wave of deadly flash floods swept through Central Texas before dawn on Friday, July 5, 2025, inflicting widespread devastation, particularly across Kerr County and communities along the Guadalupe River. The sudden and violent surge of water has resulted in a catastrophic loss of life, with the official death toll climbing rapidly and dozens more individuals still unaccounted for as search and rescue operations intensify.
Mounting Death Toll and Desperate Search
As of Saturday, July 6, 2025, authorities have confirmed at least 51 fatalities across the Central Texas region impacted by the floods. The majority of the confirmed deaths, a staggering 43, have occurred within Kerr County alone, the heart of the disaster zone. Among the victims are at least 15 children, highlighting the tragic scope of the human toll exacted by the unprecedented flooding.
A desperate search is underway for an estimated 27 girls from Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp located in Hunt, Texas, situated directly in the path of the floodwaters along the Guadalupe River. These campers remain unaccounted for, fueling anguished hopes and fears among families and rescue teams scouring the debris and submerged areas.
The Fury of the Floodwaters
The disaster was triggered by an intense and prolonged period of torrential rainfall, with weather stations recording between 10 to 15 inches of precipitation across the affected area in a short timeframe. This extraordinary volume of rain overwhelmed waterways, most notably the Guadalupe River, which experienced a frighteningly rapid and dramatic rise.
Reports indicate the river’s level surged with alarming speed, rising by 26 feet in just 45 minutes in some locations, and by over 30 feet within three hours in others. This astonishing rate of ascent left residents and campers little to no time to escape the incoming deluge, turning placid riverbanks into raging torrents that swept away homes, vehicles, and everything in their path.
Impact on Camps and Communities
The communities of Kerr County, including the area around Hunt and the Guadalupe River, bore the brunt of the flood’s fury. The impact on summer camps operating along the river has been particularly devastating. Camp Mystic, a prominent institution in the area, was severely affected, leading to the large number of missing campers.
Tragically, identified victims include two sisters, 13-year-old Blair Harber and 11-year-old Brooke Harber, from Dallas, who were staying with their grandparents near the Guadalupe River when the flood hit. An 8-year-old girl from Mountain Brook, Alabama, attending Camp Mystic, is also confirmed among the deceased.
The loss of life extends beyond the campers and residents; the director of another nearby camp has also been confirmed as a fatality, underscoring the widespread impact on the tight-knit community of summer camps in the region.
Response and Official Reaction
Emergency services responded swiftly, working under extremely challenging conditions to rescue those trapped by the rising waters. Their efforts have been significant, with responders pulling or evacuating over 850 people to safety from flooded homes, vehicles, and camps.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has taken action in the wake of the disaster, declaring Sunday, July 7, 2025, a “Day of Prayer” for the state to offer solace and support to the affected communities. The governor also signed an expanded disaster declaration, freeing up additional state resources for the recovery and relief efforts.
Federal attention has also been directed towards the crisis. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visited the affected area to assess the situation firsthand and coordinate federal support for the state and local response.
Questions Over Warnings
Amidst the ongoing rescue and recovery efforts, questions are beginning to emerge regarding the adequacy of early warnings issued to residents and camps in the flood-prone areas. Local officials are reportedly facing scrutiny over whether sufficient notice was provided given the predicted severity of the rainfall and the potential for rapid river rises. Families of victims and those with missing loved ones are seeking answers as the community grapples with the scale of the tragedy and looks towards understanding how such a devastating loss of life occurred so quickly.
The search for the missing continues with urgency, as rescue teams hold onto hope while navigating the complex and dangerous aftermath of one of Central Texas’s most devastating flash flood events in recent memory. The full scope of the destruction and the final human toll are yet to be definitively determined as the region faces a monumental task of recovery and mourning. The resilience of the Texas spirit is being tested as communities unite in the face of profound loss and widespread destruction. Authorities continue to urge caution as floodwaters recede and the difficult process of assessing damage and searching for those still missing continues across Kerr County and the wider Central Texas region.
