Sudden Storm Triggers Tragedy at Girls’ Summer Camp and Across Kerr County

KERRVILLE, Texas — Torrential rains have unleashed catastrophic flash floods along the Guadalupe River in south-central Texas, killing at least 24 people and leaving dozens more missing or trapped in rising waters, local officials confirmed late Friday.

The flooding — described by officials as rapid and unpredictable — struck in the early hours of the morning with little or no warning, overwhelming rescue crews and communities with walls of water up to 12 inches (300mm) deep.

Campers Among the Missing

Among the missing are 23 to 25 individuals from an all-girls Christian summer camp located directly along the banks of the Guadalupe River. Desperate parents flooded social media with photos of their daughters, pleading for any updates.

“What I can confirm at this point, we’re at about 24 fatalities,” said Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha during a press conference Friday evening.

Earlier in the day, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick had reported between six and ten bodies found. Sheriff Leitha gave a concurrent update citing 13 fatalities, but that number tragically rose later in the day.

Flash Flood Emergency Declared

The U.S. National Weather Service declared a flash flood emergency for Kerr County, located about 65 miles (105 km) northwest of San Antonio, as the storm dropped record-breaking rainfall in a short span.

“This happened very quickly, over a very short period of time that could not be predicted, even with the radar,” said Dalton Rice, city manager for Kerrville.

With the storm striking before dawn, evacuation orders were not issued in time to warn residents and camps along the riverbanks.

Rescue Efforts Ongoing

Emergency services and search-and-rescue teams continue to scour the area for missing persons, some of whom are feared swept away by the river’s strong current. Boats and helicopters have been deployed in ongoing efforts, though conditions remain dangerous.

Growing Regional Threat

This flooding follows days of extreme weather events across the U.S. South and Midwest, where rivers are rising and flash floods have killed at least 18 people in other states. Forecasters warn that flood risks remain high as weather systems stall over saturated regions.