Texas Flooding Claims 82 Lives as Search for Missing Continues

By Kamaran Aziz

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) — The death toll from catastrophic flooding in central Texas rose to at least 82 on Monday, with officials warning that the number is likely to climb as emergency crews continue to search for dozens of people still unaccounted for following a devastating holiday weekend storm.

The floods, which struck late Friday, overwhelmed rural communities and summer camps in the Hill Country region. According to Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha, 68 bodies have been recovered from the area, including 28 children. Ten additional deaths were confirmed in Travis, Burnet, Kendall, Tom Green, and Williamson counties, local officials said.

“Then they were able to reach their toolshed up higher ground, and neighbors throughout the early morning began to show up at their toolshed, and they all rode it out together,” said Reagan Brown, whose elderly parents survived the flood in the town of Hunt and rescued their 92-year-old neighbor from her attic.

At Camp Mystic, an all-girls summer camp that suffered heavy damage, rescue workers continued their search for 10 missing girls and a camp counselor. Families were allowed to walk through the camp site beginning Sunday morning, many retrieving what few belongings they could. One teenage girl was seen crying as her family drove away with a blue footlocker.

Gov. Greg Abbott stated that 41 individuals were still unaccounted for across the state, noting that additional rainfall through Tuesday could bring more life-threatening flooding. “We pray for them,” Abbott said, declaring Sunday a day of prayer and promising around-the-clock rescue operations.

In nearby areas, crews worked to clear debris from rivers, even as the chances of finding more survivors grew slim. Some volunteers and family members joined the search despite official requests to stay clear of the disaster zone.

The crisis has raised questions about the adequacy of early warnings. The National Weather Service had issued several alerts beginning Thursday, escalating to flash flood emergencies by early Friday — a rare and urgent warning.

Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice acknowledged the concerns, promising a thorough review of the emergency response. “Authorities and elected officials have said they did not expect such an intense downpour, the equivalent of months’ worth of rain for the area,” Rice said.

President Donald Trump signed a major disaster declaration for Kerr County on Sunday, expressing condolences and saying he would visit Friday: “I would have done it today, but we’d just be in their way.”

“It’s a horrible thing that took place, absolutely horrible,” Trump told reporters.

Asked about future plans for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Trump deferred the question, stating, “That was something we can talk about later, but right now we are busy working.” He added, “Nobody expected it. Nobody saw it. Very talented people there, and they didn’t see it.”

In Rome, Pope Leo XIV expressed his condolences during his Sunday blessing. “I would like to express sincere condolences to all the families who have lost loved ones, in particular their daughters who were in summer camp, in the disaster caused by the flooding of the Guadalupe River in Texas in the United States. We pray for them,” said the pontiff, who is the first American pope.

Survivors recounted terrifying moments as they clung to trees or sought refuge in attics while floodwaters swept away vehicles and cabins. At Camp Mystic, one group of girls held onto a rope as they crossed a bridge while water surged around them. Among the dead was an 8-year-old girl from Alabama and the director of another nearby camp. Two school-age sisters from Dallas remained missing, as did their grandparents.

Authorities continue to search the disaster zone with urgency, as devastated families await news and more rain threatens already saturated grounds.