Officials fear toll could rise further as search teams continue to recover bodies
The death toll from the catastrophic floods that swept through Texas over the Fourth of July weekend has surpassed 100, officials said on Monday, as rescue and recovery operations are hampered by ongoing rainfall and dangerously saturated terrain.
Among the dead are at least 27 girls and their counsellors who had been attending a summer camp in Kerr County when the Guadalupe River burst its banks in the early hours of Friday. The tragedy, which unfolded at Camp Mystic — a Christian girls’ retreat housing around 750 people — has left the community reeling and families across the state in mourning.
Officials fear the toll could rise further as search teams continue to recover bodies swept away by the surging waters. Rescue efforts have been complicated by intermittent rain and treacherous conditions, with helicopters, boats and search dogs deployed across multiple counties.
The US National Weather Service has warned of further flooding, cautioning that fresh rainfall over already saturated ground could worsen the situation in what is now being described as one of the deadliest weather events in the state’s recent history.
President Donald Trump is expected to visit Texas on Friday to assess the situation. The White House, in a statement on Monday, dismissed criticism that federal cuts to weather agencies had weakened flood preparedness.
“Blaming President Trump for these floods is a depraved lie,” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters. She maintained that the National Weather Service had issued “timely and precise” forecasts before the disaster struck.
The president, who described the floods as a “100-year catastrophe,” has signed a major disaster declaration, unlocking federal emergency aid for Texas. This comes despite his past remarks suggesting disaster relief should largely be a state-level responsibility.
Camp tragedy at the heart of disaster
Kerr County in central Texas has borne the brunt of the disaster, accounting for at least 84 of the confirmed deaths — 56 adults and 28 children. The county’s sheriff’s office confirmed that 27 of the victims were from Camp Mystic, where floodwaters tore through cabins as many of the children slept.
Images from the site show personal belongings — blankets, toys and clothes — coated in mud, while shattered cabin windows offer a glimpse into the force of the water. The Guadalupe River rose by more than 26 feet — roughly equivalent to a two-storey building — in just 45 minutes, according to local reports.
Louis Deppe, a 62-year-old volunteer helping in the search effort, told AFP that he was assisting the family of two missing girls. “The last message they got was ‘We’re being washed away,’ and the phone went dead,” he said.
Summer camps are a cherished part of American childhood, particularly in the southern states, where children often retreat to forests and riverside camps during long school holidays. Texas Senator Ted Cruz said the tragedy had struck at the heart of a beloved tradition. “They go to make lifetime friends — and then suddenly, it turns to tragedy,” he said.
Rainfall records and climate concerns
The scale and speed of the flooding stunned even seasoned forecasters. Meteorologists reported that months’ worth of rainfall poured down in just a few hours between Thursday night and early Friday morning. Since then, the region has seen continued bouts of rain, increasing the risk of further flash flooding.
This part of central and southern Texas — informally dubbed “Flash Flood Alley” — is no stranger to such events. However, scientists and climate experts have noted a significant uptick in extreme weather patterns in recent years.
Climate scientists point to human-driven global warming as a key factor behind the increased frequency and intensity of events such as these. Warmer air holds more moisture, leading to heavier downpours, while urban sprawl and poor drainage often exacerbate flooding risks in vulnerable areas.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared a state of emergency across several counties and said the state would “do everything possible” to aid the families affected. He also thanked first responders and volunteers for their efforts, calling their work “heroic under unimaginable circumstances.