KERR COUNTY, Texas – Catastrophic flash flooding tore through the Texas Hill Country on Friday, July 4, 2025, unleashing a torrent of water along the Guadalupe River that has claimed at least 78 lives across Central Texas, including dozens of children. The devastation is particularly acute in Kerr County, where emergency responders are grappling with a mounting death toll and an urgent search for missing individuals from two youth camps.
As of Sunday afternoon, July 6, 2025, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha confirmed that the death toll within the county alone had tragically reached at least 68. Among the confirmed fatalities in Kerr County are 28 children, highlighting the profound impact this disaster has had on families and the area’s numerous summer camps.
According to Texas Governor Greg Abbott, an additional 10 deaths have been reported in other areas of Central Texas affected by the deluge, bringing the confirmed statewide death toll from the flash flooding to at least 78 people.
Impact on Youth Camps
The flooding has had a devastating effect on the vibrant summer camp community situated along the Guadalupe River near the town of Hunt. Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian camp located directly on the river, is at the center of the crisis. Authorities have confirmed that 10 campers and one counselor from Camp Mystic remain unaccounted for as search and rescue operations intensify.
Tragically, some individuals associated with the camps have been identified among the deceased. Lila Bonner, a camper at Camp Mystic, is among the confirmed fatalities. The camp’s director, Richard “Dick” Eastland, has also been identified as a victim of the floodwaters. Jane Ragsdale, the director of Heart O’ the Hills camp, another long-standing youth camp also located in Hunt, has similarly been confirmed as having perished in the disaster.
The loss of leadership from both Camp Mystic and Heart O’ the Hills underscores the ferocity and indiscriminate nature of the flood event, which struck with little warning, transforming placid riverbanks into raging torrents.
The Deluge
The deadly flash flooding began on Friday, July 4, 2025, coinciding with Independence Day celebrations in the region. Intense rainfall in a short period overwhelmed waterways, particularly the Guadalupe River system that winds through the heart of the Texas Hill Country and Kerr County. The sudden rise of water trapped residents, campers, and visitors, leaving many with no time to evacuate to safety.
Witnesses described walls of water rushing downstream, inundating low-lying areas and structures, including homes, cabins, and camp facilities situated close to the riverbanks. The speed and power of the floodwaters caused widespread destruction, sweeping away vehicles, debris, and anything caught in their path.
Search and Rescue Operations
A massive multi-agency search and rescue operation is currently underway across the affected areas of Kerr County and other parts of Central Texas. Teams comprising local law enforcement, fire departments, state agencies, and volunteer groups are utilizing helicopters, boats, and ground crews to scour the riverbanks, debris fields, and submerged areas.
The challenging conditions, including scattered debris and the vastness of the search area along the swollen Guadalupe River, are complicating efforts. Rescuers are working against time, desperately searching for the 11 individuals still missing from Camp Mystic, as well as any other potential victims who may have been swept away or trapped by the floodwaters.
The focus remains on locating the unaccounted for, providing aid to survivors, and assessing the full scope of the damage. The confirmation of 28 children among the Kerr County fatalities adds a heart-wrenching dimension to the tragedy, amplifying the urgency of the search for the missing campers and counselor.
The Texas Hill Country community, known for its resilience and close ties, is reeling from the scale of the disaster. As search efforts continue into Sunday, the hope for finding survivors diminishes, giving way to the somber reality of a community facing immense loss and the daunting task of recovery.
