Children were among the 24 people who’ve died, a state official said.
At least 24 people are dead after heavy rain lashed Texas, leading to “catastrophic” flooding. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said emergency responders remained in a search and rescue posture, hours after the flooding along the Guadalupe River inundated nearby areas.
“So many people have been swept up into an extraordinary catastrophe,” Abbott said, asking for prayers for residents.
Children are among the dead, and about 23 campers from a summer camp in the area, Camp Mystic, were unaccounted for, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick at a earlier news conference.
Flash flood emergency issued near Lake Travis
A flash flood emergency has been issued by the National Weather Service for northwestern Travis County and far eastern Burnet County around Lake Travis in south-central Texas until 5 a.m. CT.
Between 3 inches and 7 inches of rain have fallen in the area north of Lake Travis, the service said. Some spots measured over 10 inches of rain over the past few hours, with peak rainfall rates reaching 6 inches per hour.
An ABC News graphic shows an area in Texas under flash flood warnings and flood watches on Saturday, July 5, 2025. ABC News
Rainfall of up to 5 inches was still expected in some areas. The service described the local weather as a “particularly dangerous situation,” a high-level warning that carries urgency.
“Seek higher ground now!” forecasters said.
Texas flood deaths ‘shocking,’ Trump says
President Donald Trump described the flooding in Texas and subsequent deaths as “terrible,” adding that he’s working with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to coordinate possible federal aid and to mitigate the damage.
“They don’t know the answer yet as to how many people, but it looks like some young people have died,” Trump said Friday on Air Force One, referring to the deaths as “shocking.”
President Donald Trump speaks to reporters on board Air Force One, en route from Joint Base Andrews, Md., to Morristown Municipal Airport in Morristown, N.J., Friday, July 4, 2025. Jacquelyn Martin/AP
Asked if the federal government will send federal aid, the president replied, “Oh yeah, we’ll take care of it. We’re working with the governor.”
Forecast ‘did not predict the amount of rain that we saw’ official says
A Texas official said the forecast provided by the National Weather Service underestimated the amount of rain that lashed central Texas before devastating flooding.
Nim Kidd, the chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, said the original forecast received on Wednesday from the weather service predicted 3 to 6 inches of rain in the Concho Valley and 4 to 8 inches of rain in the Hill Country.
The state emergency operations center began daily briefings Thursday on the potential for flooding.
“But listen, everybody got the forecast from the National Weather Service, right?” Kidd said during a news conference Friday, adding, “It did not predict the amount of rain that we saw.”
237 rescued amid Texas flooding, official says
Helicopters, rescue swimmers and tactical military vehicles have all been put to use to help rescue and evacuate residents of central Texas stranded by floodwaters.
Boerne Search and Rescue teams navigate upstream in an inflatable boat on the flooded Guadalupe River on July 4, 2025 in Comfort, Texas. Heavy rainfall caused flooding along the Guadalupe River in central Texas with multiple fatalities reported. Eric Vryn/Getty Images
Overall, first responders rescued or evacuated 237 people — and 167 of those were by helicopter, said Maj. Gen. Thomas Suelzer, the head of the state’s National Guard, speaking during a Friday evening news conference.
Gov. Greg Abbott said crews remain in a search and rescue posture Friday night and will continue to work through the night.
Number of people unaccounted for after Texas flooding remains unknown
The number of people unaccounted for after devastating flooding in central Texas remains unknown, officials said.
Speaking at a news conference, Kerr County Sheriff Larry L. Leitha said officials do not yet know how many people are unaccounted for.
A helicopter flies over the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept through the area, Friday, July 4, 2025, in Kerrville, Texas. Eric Gay/AP
“It was a holiday weekend here,” Leitha said. “We have a lot of campers here, and we do not know that number at this time.”
He said up to 25 campers with Camp Mystic, a girls’ camp along the Guadalupe River, remained unaccounted for.
Death toll in Texas flooding rises to 24
The death toll from devastating floods in central Texas has risen to 24, Kerr County Sheriff Larry L. Leitha told reporters during a news conference Friday evening.
The sheriff did not provide an update on the number of people unaccounted for. Earlier, state officials said about 23 campers with a girls’ summer camp remained unaccounted for.
Texas governor says search and rescue mission continues after devastating flooding
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the state remains in a search and rescue posture hours after devastating flooding tore through central Texas.
He said two state search and rescue teams, the Texas National Guard and a host of other agencies are continuing to conduct rescues Friday night.
“They will continue in the darkness of night … They will be nonstop, seeking to find everybody who is unaccounted for,” Abbott said during a news conference Friday night.
The governor signed a disaster declaration for the affected counties.
What we know about Camp Mystic, where 20 are unaccounted for after Texas floods
State officials said during a news conference earlier Friday that 20 campers from Camp Mystic — out of 750 total campers — were unaccounted for after catastrophic flooding in central Texas on Friday.
Families line up at a reunification center after flash flooding hit the area, Friday, July 4, 2025, in Ingram, Texas. Eric Gay/AP
Camp Mystic is a private Christian summer camp for girls, according to the organization’s website. Established in 1926, it sits along the banks of the Guadalupe River, which has seen devastating floods amid the heavy rain.
In a brief note to families earlier Friday, the camp said: “We have sustained catastrophic level floods. We have no power, water, or Wi-Fi.”
The camp’s office said campers on Senior Hill and Cypress Lake have been accounted for.
“If your daughter is not accounted for you have been notified. If you have not been personally contacted, then your daughter is accounted for.”
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