Deadly Texas Flood Kills 27 As Dozens Of Girls Go Missing From Christian Summer Camp, Police Say

The death toll from catastrophic flash flooding in Texas has risen to 27, local officials confirmed Friday morning, as search and rescue crews continued efforts to locate dozens of missing girls from a Christian summer camp.

The Kerr County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) said that 18 adults and 9 children have been confirmed dead as of 8:55 a.m. Friday, with six adults and one child still unidentified. The flooding followed a sudden overnight storm that caused the Guadalupe River to swell well beyond its banks, washing away parts of the Camp Mystic property where a youth summer camp for girls was underway. (RELATED: ‘I Was Saying My Goodbyes’: Alabama Man Survives Being Sucked 500 Feet Through Drainage Pipe)

“We are now more than 24 hours into this tragic event, and KPD, KFD, KCSO and other first responders from around Texas are continuing to conduct rescue and recovery operations along the Guadalupe River corridor,” the sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post.

More than 850 uninjured people and eight injured individuals have been evacuated since the disaster began. Officials said the number of missing remains unclear, but early reports suggest 23 to 25 campers are unaccounted for.

Camp Mystic is a summer camp just outside the town of Kerrville, Texas.

It’s nestled in the unincorporated community of Hunt along the Guadalupe River- the most dangerous river valley in the United States.

All all girls Christian summer camp.

In the early morning hours of… pic.twitter.com/gxVIahYk3y

— J.C. Ryle (@JCRyle) July 5, 2025

The mother of 9-year-old camper Lainey Landry described her daughter to CNN as “brave and sweet.” Several other girls, including Eloise Peck of Dallas and 8-year-old Hadley Hanna, were reported missing by their families.

Search and rescue efforts are ongoing as authorities attempt to confirm identities and locate those still missing.

A total of 237 people have been rescued from the affected areas, including 167 by helicopter, according to emergency management officials, several news outlets have reported. The exact number of missing persons has not been confirmed.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott held a press conference Friday night, announcing a disaster declaration for multiple counties surrounding San Antonio. “We will stop at nothing to ensure that every asset and person and plan, whatever is needed, is going to be involved in the process of rescuing every last person,” Abbott stated.

The Trump administration is providing support in the aftermath of the flood.

“The Trump Administration is working with State and Local Officials on the ground in Texas in response to the tragic flooding that took place yesterday,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Saturday morning.

“Our Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, will be there shortly,” he added. “Melania and I are praying for all of the families impacted by this horrible tragedy. Our Brave First Responders are on site doing what they do best. GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS!”

The flood-hit Guadalupe River area was the site of another deadly incident in 1987 when 10 teenagers died after a church bus was overtaken by rising waters.