What we all know thus far
It’s 5am in Texas and the seek for survivors is ongoing. Here’s what we all know thus far:
A minimum of 24 individuals have died and as much as 25 individuals are lacking after torrential rain precipitated flash floods alongside the Guadalupe River in Texas on Friday.
Rescue groups are looking for the individuals who have been attending the Christian all-girls Camp Mystic summer time camp simply outdoors the city of Kerrville 104km (64 miles) north-west of San Antonio.
As of Friday evening, emergency personnel had rescued or evacuated 237 individuals, together with 167 by helicopter, Reuters experiences.
The Texas Division of Emergency Administration had 14 helicopters and tons of of emergency staff, in addition to drones, concerned in search-and-rescue operations.
A month’s price of heavy rain fell in a matter of hours. In lower than an hour the river rose 26 ft (7.9m) in what Kerr county sheriff’s workplace referred to as “catastrophic flooding”.
The flooding swept away cellular properties, autos and vacation cabins the place individuals have been spending the 4 July weekend, the BBC mentioned.
A state of emergency has been declared in a number of counties.
Chatting with reporters aboard Air Drive One on Friday, US President Donald Trump mentioned, “We’ll maintain them,” when requested about federal assist for the catastrophe.
Kerr County Decide Rob Kelly, the highest native elected official, mentioned a catastrophe of such magnitude was unexpected. “We had no motive to consider this was going to be something like what’s occurred right here,” he mentioned. “None in any respect.”
Extra rain is anticipated within the state, together with round Waco, and flooding is anticipated downriver from Kerr county.
Share
Up to date at 06.27 EDT
Key occasions
Present key occasions solely
Please activate JavaScript to make use of this characteristic
Photos from Kerr County, Texas present a number of the destruction attributable to flooding in areas alongside the Guadalupe River.
Overturned autos and damaged timber after flooding attributable to the flash flood on the Guadalupe River in Kerrville, Texas. {Photograph}: Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP/Getty PhotographsTimber emerge from flood waters alongside the banks of the river. {Photograph}: Eric Vryn/Getty ImagesShare
Up to date at 09.01 EDT
‘Life-threatening’ flooding continues – officers
Harmful and life-threatening flooding in addition to heavy rains proceed in components of Texas, the Nationwide Climate Service for Austin and San Antonio has mentioned.
In a press release on social media, the service mentioned the worst affected counties have been Burnet, western Williamson, and northwestern Travis, which all sit within the area to the northeast of the Guadeloupe River.
“A flash flood emergency stays in impact for these areas,” the assertion mentioned. “Search increased floor if close to a flooded creek or stream.”
Share
What precipitated the floods?
The floods got here after the Guadeloupe River, which runs throughout an space of southern Texas, burst its banks following heavy rains.
Officers mentioned the river rose 26ft (8m) in simply 45 minutes.
Dalton Rice, metropolis supervisor for close by Kerrville, informed reporters that flooding struck earlier than daybreak and “over a really brief time frame, that might not be predicted”
“This occurred inside lower than a two-hour span,” he mentioned.
W. Nim Kidd, director of the Texas Division of Emergency Administration, mentioned climate forecasts “didn’t predict the quantity of rain that we noticed”.
Share
Here’s a map exhibiting the situation of the floods.
A map exhibiting the situation of the floods.A map exhibiting the situation of the floods.Share
In footage carried by the BBC, the mayor of Kerrville Joe Herring mentioned earlier:
We’ll rescue these in peril and we’ll discover those that are lacking.
I’d additionally ask, please pray for our neighborhood.
It is a laborious day and there will likely be laborious days to return.
Share
Listed here are some extra photographs coming to us over the wires.
A drone view exhibits flooded homes in San Angelo, Texas. {Photograph}: Patrick Keely/ReutersA drone view of a home swept down the highway in San Angelo, Texas. {Photograph}: Patrick Keely/ReutersTimber emerge from flood waters alongside the Guadalupe River on 4 July 2025 in Kerrville, Texas. {Photograph}: Eric Vryn/Getty ImagesShare
CNN is reporting on residents of Kerrville, Texas, who needed to flee for his or her lives in the course of the flash floods.
“We needed to drive over stay energy traces to get out of right here as a result of the one different approach we might go was underwater,” Candice Taylor informed CNN affiliate KENS.
Zerick Baldwin informed KENS: “If I might’ve slept in my truck or one thing, I might have been gone…The waters got here so shortly. If I had stayed, I wouldn’t have even identified what hit.”
Share
Right here is a few footage of the floods in Texas.
Catastrophic flooding occasion sweeps via western Texas – video Share
We’ve got extra from the Related Press on Camp Mystic, the all-girls Christian summer time camp from which as much as 25 persons are lacking.
Chloe Crane, a instructor and former Camp Mystic counsellor, mentioned her coronary heart broke when a fellow instructor shared an electronic mail from the camp concerning the lacking women.
“To be fairly trustworthy, I cried as a result of Mystic is such a particular place, and I simply couldn’t think about the phobia that I might really feel as a counsellor to expertise that for myself and for 15 little women that I’m caring for,” she mentioned. “And it’s additionally simply disappointment, just like the camp has been there ceaselessly and cabins actually obtained washed away.”
Crane mentioned the camp, which was established in 1926, is a haven for younger women trying to acquire confidence and independence. She recalled glad reminiscences instructing her campers about journalism, making crafts and competing in a camp-wide canoe race on the finish of every summer time.
Now for a lot of campers and counsellors, their glad place has became a horror story, she mentioned.
Share
Up to date at 06.27 EDT
What we all know thus far
It’s 5am in Texas and the seek for survivors is ongoing. Here’s what we all know thus far:
A minimum of 24 individuals have died and as much as 25 individuals are lacking after torrential rain precipitated flash floods alongside the Guadalupe River in Texas on Friday.
Rescue groups are looking for the individuals who have been attending the Christian all-girls Camp Mystic summer time camp simply outdoors the city of Kerrville 104km (64 miles) north-west of San Antonio.
As of Friday evening, emergency personnel had rescued or evacuated 237 individuals, together with 167 by helicopter, Reuters experiences.
The Texas Division of Emergency Administration had 14 helicopters and tons of of emergency staff, in addition to drones, concerned in search-and-rescue operations.
A month’s price of heavy rain fell in a matter of hours. In lower than an hour the river rose 26 ft (7.9m) in what Kerr county sheriff’s workplace referred to as “catastrophic flooding”.
The flooding swept away cellular properties, autos and vacation cabins the place individuals have been spending the 4 July weekend, the BBC mentioned.
A state of emergency has been declared in a number of counties.
Chatting with reporters aboard Air Drive One on Friday, US President Donald Trump mentioned, “We’ll maintain them,” when requested about federal assist for the catastrophe.
Kerr County Decide Rob Kelly, the highest native elected official, mentioned a catastrophe of such magnitude was unexpected. “We had no motive to consider this was going to be something like what’s occurred right here,” he mentioned. “None in any respect.”
Extra rain is anticipated within the state, together with round Waco, and flooding is anticipated downriver from Kerr county.
Share
Up to date at 06.27 EDT
Camp Mystic was ‘utterly destroyed’, says 13-year-old survivor
The Related Press experiences on the rescue operation by Texas Recreation Wardens at Camp Mystic on Friday afternoon and evacuated campers who had sheltered on increased floor.
Elinor Lester, 13, mentioned she was evacuated along with her cabinmates by helicopter after wading via floodwaters. She recalled startling awake round 1.30 am as thunder crackled and water pelted the cabin home windows.
Lester was among the many older women housed on elevated floor generally known as Senior Hill. Cabins housing the youthful campers, who can begin attending at age eight, are located alongside the riverbanks and have been the primary to flood, she mentioned.
Campers in decrease cabins sought shelter up the hill. By morning, that they had no meals, energy or operating water, she mentioned. When rescuers arrived, Lester mentioned they tied a rope for the ladies to carry as they walked throughout a bridge with floodwaters whipping up round their calves and knees.
“The camp was utterly destroyed,” she mentioned. “It was actually scary. Everybody I do know personally is accounted for, however there are individuals lacking that I do know of and we don’t know the place they’re.”
Her mom, Elizabeth Lester, mentioned her son was close by at Camp La Junta and likewise escaped. A counsellor there woke as much as discover water rising within the cabin, opened a window and helped the boys swim out. Camp La Junta and one other camp on the river, Camp Waldemar, mentioned in Instagram posts that each one campers and employees there have been secure.
Elizabeth Lester sobbed when she lastly noticed her daughter, who was clutching a small teddy bear and a e-book.
“My youngsters are secure, however realizing others are nonetheless lacking is simply consuming me alive,” she mentioned.
Households line up at a reunification centre in Ingram, Texas. {Photograph}: Eric Homosexual/APShare
Up to date at 07.40 EDT
Kerr County Decide Rob Kelly, the highest native elected official, mentioned at a information briefing on the catastrophe hours earlier:
Everyone is doing every little thing of their energy to get these youngsters out.
Kelly mentioned a lot of scattered residential subdivisions, leisure automobile parks and campgrounds have been hit laborious, Reuters experiences.
Pressed by reporters why extra precautions weren’t taken with stormy climate within the forecast, Kelly insisted a catastrophe of such magnitude was unexpected.
“We’ve got floods on a regular basis. That is essentially the most harmful river valley in the USA,” Kelly mentioned.
“We had no motive to consider this was going to be something like what’s occurred right here. None in any respect.”
Share
Groups have performed dozens of rescues because the emergency response continued.
The state senator Pete Flores mentioned: “We’re in search-and-rescue mode, and we all know that these first 24 hours are essential.”
As of Friday evening, emergency personnel had rescued or evacuated 237 individuals, together with 167 by helicopter, Reuters experiences.
Extra rain is anticipated within the state, together with round Waco, and flooding is anticipated downriver from Kerr county.
Search and Rescue groups in Consolation, Texas. {Photograph}: Eric Vryn/Getty ImagesShare
Individuals have posted on Fb asking for any details about their youngsters, nieces and nephews attending one of many many camps within the space, or members of the family who had gone tenting in the course of the vacation weekend.
The Ingram hearth division posted a photograph of a press release from Camp Mystic, saying the camp skilled “catastrophic degree floods”.
“We’re working with search and rescue presently,” the camp mentioned in its communication. “The freeway has washed away so we’re struggling to get extra assist. Please proceed to hope and ship any assist when you have contacts to take action.”
ShareSearch and Rescue groups navigate upstream in an inflatable boat on the flooded Guadalupe River on 4 July 2025 in Consolation, Texas. {Photograph}: Eric Vryn/Getty Photographs
Listed here are some photographs coming to us over the wires:
Broken autos and particles are seen roped off close to the banks of the Guadalupe River after flooding in Ingram, Texas. {Photograph}: Michel Fortier/APFirst responders ship individuals to a reunification centre after flash flooding within the space, Friday, 4 July 2025, in Ingram, Texas. {Photograph}: Eric Homosexual/APPersons are reunited at a reunification centre in Ingram, Texas. {Photograph}: Eric Homosexual/APShare
Dalton Rice, metropolis supervisor for Kerrville, the county seat, informed reporters the intense flooding struck with little to no advance warning, precluding authorities from issuing any evacuation orders.
“This occurred in a short time, over a really brief time frame, that might not be predicted, even with the radar,” Rice mentioned. “This occurred inside lower than a two-hour span.”
Share
23 individuals from all-girls summer time camp amongst these lacking
At a information convention on Friday afternoon, Texas lieutenant governor Dan Patrick mentioned 23 youngsters from Camp Mystic, a non-public Christian summer time camp for women, have been unaccounted for of 750 who have been staying there on the time.
He requested individuals to avoid the realm, saying the Texas division of emergency administration had 14 helicopters and tons of of emergency staff concerned in search-and-rescue operations.”
Patrick mentioned Donald Trump had been knowledgeable of the state of affairs and responded: “No matter we’d like, we will have.”
100 troopers would additionally participate within the search and rescue, a Texas official mentioned.
Share
Up to date at 05.19 EDT
Determined seek for survivors after dozens killed by Texas flooding
Edward Helmore
A minimum of 24 individuals have died after torrential rains unleashed flash floods alongside the Guadalupe River in Texas on Friday as rescue groups scrambled to save lots of dozens of victims trapped by excessive water or reported lacking within the catastrophe, native officers mentioned.
Among the many lacking have been 23 to 25 individuals listed as unaccounted for at an all-girls Christian summer time camp situated on the banks of the rain-engorged Guadalupe, 65 miles (105 km) north-west of San Antonio, authorities mentioned.
The area was beset by loss of life and catastrophe on Friday after months’ price of heavy rain fell in a matter of hours. In lower than an hour, the river rose 26 ft (7.9m).
The flooding swept away cellular properties, autos and vacation cabins the place individuals have been spending the 4 July weekend, the BBC mentioned.
Search groups are conducting boat and helicopter rescues within the fast-moving water that overtook riverfront communities and youngsters’s summer time camps. However the search has been hampered by restricted entry to the realm. Telephones are down, which has additionally made communication with individuals troublesome.
The US Nationwide Climate Service declared a flash flood emergency for components of Kerr county, situated in south-central Texas Hill Nation, following the heavy downpours.
Kerr county sheriff Larry Leitha mentioned not less than 24 fatalities have been confirmed from what his workplace referred to as the “catastrophic flooding”.
A state of emergency has been declared in a number of counties and the White Home has supplied extra assist.
Chatting with reporters aboard Air Drive One on the finish of a day of public occasions on Friday, Trump mentioned “we’ll maintain them,” when requested about federal assist for the catastrophe.
We’ll convey you the newest updates on this creating story.
Share
Up to date at 04.24 EDT
