At least 24 people have died and up to 25 girls remain unaccounted for after historic flooding devastated central Texas, with the Guadalupe River surging 26 feet in just 45 minutes to reach near-record levels early Friday morning.
The missing children, aged between 7 and 17, were attending Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp in Hunt, Texas, when torrential overnight rains transformed the normally peaceful river into a deadly torrent. The camp was hosting approximately 750 girls when evacuation orders came after 4 a.m., leaving families across Texas and beyond desperately awaiting news of their daughters.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott called the flooding an “extraordinary catastrophe” during a Friday evening press conference, declaring that search and rescue operations would continue through the night despite dangerous conditions.
Families Share Photos of Missing Daughters
We are just praying,” said the mother of 9-year-old Janie Hunt, one of the missing campers, as she waited for news at a reunification center established for anxious families.
Desperate parents took to social media throughout Friday, sharing photographs and pleading for information about their daughters. Among those named as missing were Virginia Hollis, Annie Flack, Hadley Crossman, Cile Steward, Wynne Naylor, Linnie McCown, Mary Grace Baker, Molly DeWitt, Sarah Marsh, Anna Margaret Bellows, and Blakely McCrory.
Two Houston-area girls were also identified among the missing: 8-year-old Greta Toranzo, a student at Sinclair Elementary School, and 9-year-old Lainey Landry, described by her mother as “brave and sweet.
Her parents have asked that her picture be shared far and wide as they search for her,” the Sinclair Elementary PTO posted on social media about Toranzo.
River Rose to Second-Highest Level on Record
The catastrophe unfolded after up to 12 inches of rain fell in central Kerr County overnight, causing what the National Weather Service called a “very dangerous and life-threatening flood event.” The Guadalupe River at Hunt reached its second-highest level on record, surpassing the infamous 1987 flood.
“The river was at 7 feet at midnight. By 4 a.m., it had reached 29 feet,” Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick explained at the press conference. “This rain event sat on top of the headwaters and dumped more rain than what was forecasted.”
Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha confirmed 24 fatalities in his county alone, with one additional death reported in neighboring Kendall County. The sheriff warned that the death toll could rise as search teams reached more isolated areas.
Massive Search Operation Mobilized
More than 500 personnel joined the rescue effort Friday, including 14 helicopters, 12 drones, nine rescue teams, and over 400 ground searchers. By Friday evening, authorities had rescued or evacuated 237 people, with 167 of those rescued by helicopter, according to Major General Thomas Suelzer of the Texas National Guard.
“We’ll put in everything we have in the entire state,” Governor Abbott promised, emphasizing that searches would be “non-stop” through the weekend.
Texas Game Wardens announced around 7 p.m. Friday that rescue teams had finally reached Camp Mystic by vehicle after the facility had been cut off by floodwaters for most of the day. They began evacuating remaining campers, though officials stressed that between 23 and 25 girls remained unaccounted for.
Presidential Response and Federal Aid
President Donald Trump addressed the tragedy Friday evening, pledging full federal support for recovery efforts.
“It’s terrible, the floods, it’s shocking,” Trump told reporters. When asked about federal aid, he responded: “We’ll take care of them. It’s a terrible thing.”
Texas Senator Ted Cruz confirmed he had spoken with the president, posting on social media: “President Trump committed ANYTHING Texas needs.
Dramatic Rescues Captured on Video
Throughout Friday, dramatic footage emerged of rescue operations along the swollen river. One video showed a person being hoisted to safety by helicopter cable as they dangled above the churning waters. Another captured the moment rescuers reached stranded flood victims clinging to trees.
Thirteen-year-old Elinor Lester, who was evacuated by helicopter from Camp Mystic, told reporters that while her cabin sat on elevated ground, younger campers were housed in facilities closer to the riverbank.
You could see vehicles coming from up the river with the lights on and hear somebody honking, and they were washing away but they kept going,” witness Lorena Gullen told CBS Evening News. “It was impossible.”
Questions About Preparedness
As rescue efforts continued, some parents questioned whether Camp Mystic should have evacuated earlier. Serena Hanor Aldrich, whose two daughters were safely rescued, criticized the camp’s response to weather warnings.
They should have been watching the Texas Division of Emergency Management and Kerr County,” Aldrich said. “They were posting stuff yesterday morning. They should have been on top of it.”
The camp, which charges over $4,300 per session and was preparing to celebrate its 100th anniversary next year, issued a statement to parents: “If your daughter is not accounted for, you have been notified. If you have not been personally contacted, then your daughter is accounted for.”
“Flash Flood Alley” Lives Up to Name
Austin Dickson, CEO of the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, explained that the region sits in what locals call “flash flood alley” due to its unique geography.
“When it rains, water doesn’t soak into the soil,” Dickson said. “It rushes down the hill.”
The area’s limestone terrain and steep topography create conditions where heavy rainfall rapidly channels into rivers and creeks, transforming them into deadly torrents with little warning.
Community Response and Recovery
Churches and community centers across the Hill Country opened their doors to evacuees and families awaiting news. Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas, which had several members with daughters at Camp Mystic, issued a statement calling the crisis “a tragedy that has left us all shaken.
Maria and Felipe Tapia of Hunt described swimming from their home as floodwaters rose 10 feet in 10 minutes. “We got out right on time,” Felipe said. “I felt like I was swimming under a river.”
The flooding caused catastrophic damage to multiple summer camps along the Guadalupe River, with Camp Rio Vista and Camp Sierra Vista also reporting severe destruction, though no injuries occurred at those facilities as campers were not present.
Looking Ahead
As Friday night fell, the immediate danger began to recede. Flash flood warnings were set to expire at 7 p.m., with only light rain expected overnight. The Guadalupe River had crested at Kerrville and Comfort, though downstream communities braced for flooding Saturday as the surge moved south.
“We need God more than ever,” Governor Abbott said, his voice heavy with emotion. “But we also need a robust response.”
For the families still waiting for news of their daughters, the governor’s words offered little comfort. At reunification centers across central Texas, parents clutched photographs and cell phones, hoping for the call that would end their nightmare.
As rescue teams prepared for another long night of searching, one image captured the day’s anguish: a young girl in a white Camp Mystic t-shirt, standing in a puddle, sobbing in her mother’s arms—one of the lucky ones who made it home.
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