Texas flash flood: 78 confirmed dead, 41 still missing; search ops underway

A man looks at a damaged road after severe flash flooding in Hunt, Texas.

Central Texas is reeling from one of the deadliest natural disasters in recent memory as search and rescue efforts continue for dozens still missing after catastrophic flash floods swept through Kerrville and surrounding counties.

The disaster, triggered by unprecedented rainfall early Friday morning, has claimed at least 78 lives, with Kerrville alone accounting for 68 deaths, including 28 children.

The picturesque Hill Country town of Kerrville, located along the Guadalupe River, bore the brunt of the flooding. Predawn torrential rains transformed the normally calm river into a violent torrent within an hour, devastating riverfront areas and summer camps. According to Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha, many of the deceased were children, and several deaths occurred at the Camp Mystic summer camp, a nearly 100-year-old Christian retreat for girls.

As of Sunday, 10 girls and one camp counselor remained unaccounted for, while officials have yet to provide clarity on the fate of others initially listed as missing.

Beyond Kerr County, ten additional deaths were confirmed in neighboring counties, Burnet (3), Tom Green (1), Travis (5), and Williamson (1). Authorities reported that 41 people remain missing outside Kerrville, and search operations are continuing with urgency.

Texas Department of Public Safety Director Freeman Martin warned that the death toll could rise as more bodies may be found once the floodwaters fully recede.

Although the National Weather Service had warned of potential heavy rains and flash flooding ahead of the July Fourth holiday, the actual rainfall far exceeded forecasts.

According to Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice, twice the predicted amount of rain fell over two tributaries of the Guadalupe River, just upstream from where they merge and flow through Kerrville. This confluence of water intensified the flooding.

Governor Greg Abbott and other officials pledged to review forecasting systems and emergency preparedness once the immediate crisis was contained.

Emergency crews, aided by helicopters and drones, are working around the clock. The Texas Military Department has deployed eight helicopters and a MQ-9 Reaper drone equipped with advanced sensors to locate survivors and survey damage.

More than 850 people have been rescued since Friday, some found clinging to trees. But search teams continue to face difficult conditions, including mud, debris, heat, and snakes.

On Sunday, President Donald Trump issued a major disaster declaration, activating the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and authorizing federal resources for Texas. The U.S. Coast Guard also joined rescue efforts with helicopters and surveillance aircraft.

Trump said he planned to visit the disaster zone, likely on Friday. However, his remarks sparked criticism after he appeared to deflect responsibility for potential shortfalls in disaster preparedness, saying the situation was a “Biden setup,” despite his own administration having overseen cuts to federal disaster agencies.

Questions are being raised about whether staffing cuts under Trump’s administration contributed to inadequate flood warnings. Experts noted that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) — the parent body of the Weather Service — had suffered thousands of job cuts.

Notably, the San Antonio Weather Service office, which oversees Kerr County, had a key vacancy at the time: the warning coordination meteorologist, responsible for liaising with emergency managers and the public during weather emergencies. That position had been vacated just months earlier due to early retirement, part of broader staffing losses across NOAA.

Officials are calling this flood a "100-year event", with rainfall totals reaching up to 15 inches (38 cm) in some areas. The landscape remains saturated, and forecasters warn that even moderate rainfall could lead to further flash flooding in the coming days.

(With inputs from agencies)