Flash Flood Death Toll in Texas Rises to 27; Dozens Still Missing After Summer Camp Disaster

The death toll from devastating flash floods in Texas has climbed to 27, up from 24, officials confirmed on Saturday. Among the deceased are nine children, according to a Reuters report.

The surge in fatalities comes as search efforts intensify for dozens of girls still missing from the Mystic summer camp. Authorities say between 23 and 25 individuals—most of them young girls—remain unaccounted for.

Approximately 800 residents have been evacuated from Kerr County, the epicenter of the flooding, according to the sheriff’s office.

The US National Weather Service (NWS) said the flash flood emergency for Kerr County has largely subsided after intense thunderstorms dropped up to a foot of rain early Friday morning. However, a flood watch remains in effect until 7 p.m. Saturday for the broader San Antonio–Austin region, with scattered showers expected throughout the day, said Allison Santorelli of the NWS Weather Prediction Center.

President Donald Trump addressed the disaster on social media, stating that the federal government is working closely with state and local authorities. “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,” he wrote.

Dalton Rice, city manager of Kerrville—the county seat—said the flooding struck with little to no warning before dawn on Friday, leaving authorities unable to issue timely evacuation alerts as the Guadalupe River quickly surged past major flood stage.

“This happened very quickly, over a very short period of time that could not be predicted, even with radar,” Rice said. “It occurred in under two hours.”

State emergency officials had cautioned as early as Thursday that parts of west and central Texas were at risk of heavy rainfall and flash flooding over the holiday weekend. But W. Nim Kidd, director of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, said the rainfall far exceeded projections.

“The forecasts did not predict the amount of rain that we saw,” Kidd said at a Friday night press briefing.

The tragic events echo a similar disaster nearly four decades ago. In 1987, a sudden flood along the Guadalupe River swept away a church group bus and van, leading to the drowning of 10 teenagers, according to a National Weather Service account. Hundreds were evacuated during that storm as well.