What was meant to be a joyful summer escape for more than 750 girls at Camp Mystic in Texas Hill Country turned into a waking nightmare over the Fourth of July weekend. In mere minutes, surging floodwaters from the Guadalupe River overtook cabins, crushed infrastructure, and swept children from their beds, triggering one of the deadliest natural disasters in the state’s recent memory.
Authorities have now confirmed that 68 lives have been lost in Kerr County alone — including 28 children, many of them campers. Officials say another 41 people remain missing across Central Texas, with desperate search and rescue operations still underway. At Camp Mystic, chaos unfolded in the dead of night as waters surged 30 feet above normal levels. Parents still await word on their daughters. Some wait in prayer. Others wait in silence.
At a press conference Sunday in Austin, Governor Greg Abbott called the flood “a catastrophe of biblical proportions” and confirmed that President Donald Trump had approved a major federal disaster declaration. “This was sudden. It was ferocious. It changed lives in minutes,” Abbott said. “But Texas is responding with everything we’ve got.”
The scale of the response reflects the staggering toll. Over 230 Department of Public Safety (DPS) officers have been deployed to the region, alongside tactical marine units, helicopters, Texas Rangers, and Special Operations personnel. Federal agencies — including the FBI, DEA, and Homeland Security — are also on the ground assisting with search efforts.
According to Major General Thomas Suelzer of the Texas National Guard, 525 rescues have already been carried out: 366 by air, 159 by ground, and more are ongoing. High-profile military vehicles have been deployed to reach flood-ravaged areas that remain inaccessible to standard rescue crews. Suelzer confirmed the Guard has expanded efforts to San Saba and Burnet counties as conditions deteriorate across the region.
Col. Freeman Martin of DPS revealed that temporary communication towers have been erected to restore emergency coordination in hard-hit zones. He also issued a stern warning to would-be “disaster tourists” — sightseers arriving to witness the destruction. “Stay out of these zones. You’re putting yourself and others in danger,” he said.
At Camp Mystic, the heartbreak is still unfolding. Multiple cabins were overtaken in minutes, leaving campers with no time to grab shoes, flashlights, or even their closest friends. Some families are already grieving. Others cling to hope. The youngest confirmed victims were just eight years old.
As officials brace for another potential wave of water down local creeks, the community is left demanding answers. How did the floodwaters rise so fast? Were warnings missed? Could this have been prevented?
For now, Texas mourns. And waits. And prays that someone, somewhere, will be found alive.
