Catastrophic Flash Floods Kill 24 in Texas Hill Country, Over 20 Campers Missing
By Staff, Agencies
A devastating flash flood swept through Texas Hill Country on Friday, leaving at least 24 people dead and more than 20 children missing from a girls summer camp, after torrential overnight rain triggered a sudden rise in the Guadalupe River.
According to officials, up to 10 inches of rain fell in just hours over central Kerr County, causing the river to surge by over 22 feet in two hours. The flooding overwhelmed homes, summer camps, and entire communities, prompting frantic rescue operations by boat and helicopter across the region.
Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha confirmed the death toll late Friday, adding that search and rescue operations were ongoing. So far, 237 people have been rescued, including 167 by air.
Among the missing are over 20 girls attending Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp located near the river in the town of Hunt. Thirteen-year-old camper Elinor Lester described how her cabin was evacuated by helicopter after rescuers helped the girls cross a flooded bridge using a rope line.
“The camp was completely destroyed,” she said. “A helicopter landed and started taking people away. It was really scary.”
Texas Governor Dan Patrick said nine rescue teams, 14 helicopters, and 12 drones were assisting in the emergency response, with roughly 400 personnel on the ground. He confirmed that about 23 of the approximately 750 girls attending Camp Mystic remain unaccounted for.
The National Weather Service said a river gauge at Hunt recorded a dramatic rise before failing at 29.5 feet.
“The water’s moving so fast, you’re not going to recognize how bad it is until it’s on top of you,” said meteorologist Bob Fogarty.
Stories of survival continue to emerge from the flood zone. In Ingram, Erin Burgess and her 19-year-old son clung to a tree for an hour after floodwaters surged into their home.
“My son and I floated to a tree,” she recalled. “My boyfriend and dog floated away. He was lost for a while, but we found them.”
Some residents say they received no warning at all.
“We got no emergency alert. There was nothing — a pitch black wall of death,” said Matthew Stone of Kerrville, who helped rescuers search for neighbors using his paddle boat.
At a reunification center in Ingram, emotional scenes unfolded as families reconnected with loved ones. A girl in a soaked Camp Mystic shirt sobbed in her mother’s arms. Nearby, a woman clutched a small dog while soldiers helped elderly evacuees off rescue vehicles.
Barry Adelman, a resident of Kerrville, said floodwaters forced his entire family into the attic — including his 94-year-old grandmother and 9-year-old grandson — as water began seeping through the attic floor.
“I was horrified,” Adelman 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.”
Officials acknowledged the unpredictability and scale of the storm. Although a flood watch was in place, local leaders admitted the county had no formal warning system.
“We do not have a warning system,” said Judge Rob Kelly, Kerr County’s top elected official. “No one knew this kind of flood was coming.”
Known as “flash flood alley,” the Hill Country is particularly vulnerable due to its rocky terrain and thin soil layer, which forces rainwater to flow rapidly downhill. The area is a popular tourism and summer camp destination, with generations of families drawn to the scenic, normally tranquil Guadalupe River.
“It’s generally a very tranquil river with really beautiful clear blue water that people have been attracted to for generations,” said Austin Dickson, head of the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country.
As search efforts continue, the death toll is expected to rise, with authorities pleading for information on the missing and bracing for what may be the deadliest flooding event in the region’s history.
