Camp Mystic ‘Grieving the Loss’ of 27 Campers, Counselors in Texas Floods/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Devastating floods swept through Texas, leaving at least 27 campers and counselors from Camp Mystic dead and many others missing. Families mourn losses while search crews continue working amid threats of more rain. President Trump plans a visit following his disaster declaration.
Texas Flood Disaster – Quick Look
- 27 campers and staff confirmed dead at Camp Mystic
- Over 80 fatalities statewide as search efforts persist
- Heavy rain threatens further flooding across central Texas
- Trump declares disaster, plans visit to affected areas
- Pope offers prayers; questions rise over warning systems
Camp Mystic Mourns 27 Lost After Deadly Texas Floods
Deep Look
KERRVILLE, Texas (AP) — Camp Mystic announced Monday that it is “grieving the loss” of 27 campers and counselors as crews continued searching for victims following catastrophic flooding that swept through central Texas over the Fourth of July weekend.
The heartbreaking statement underscored the toll of flooding that unleashed a powerful wall of water through the historic, century-old girls’ summer camp.
“We have been in communication with local and state authorities who are tirelessly deploying extensive resources to search for our missing girls,” Camp Mystic said in a message on its website. “We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support from the community, first responders, and officials at every level.”
Even as search efforts carried on, more heavy rain was forecast for central Texas through Tuesday, raising fears of further life-threatening flooding. The holiday weekend storm has already claimed over 80 lives, with officials warning that the toll will likely rise.
In Kerr County, residents began cleaning away mud and salvaging belongings from damaged homes, recalling terrifying escapes as floodwaters surged late Friday.
Reagan Brown described how his elderly parents managed to flee uphill as floodwaters inundated their home in the town of Hunt. When they discovered that their 92-year-old neighbor was trapped in her attic, they returned to rescue her.
“They were able to reach their toolshed on higher ground,” Brown said. “Neighbors began showing up there in the early morning, and they all rode it out together.”
A few miles away, search teams worked through rugged terrain riddled with snakes, looking for those still missing—including campers from Camp Mystic, which suffered extensive destruction. As of Sunday afternoon, authorities said several girls and a camp counselor remained unaccounted for.
Gov. Greg Abbott reported on Sunday that 41 people were still unaccounted for across the state, with the possibility of more missing.
In Kerr County, where many summer camps are nestled in the scenic Hill Country, 68 bodies have been recovered so far, including 28 children, according to Sheriff Larry Leitha. Ten additional fatalities were reported in Travis, Burnet, Kendall, Tom Green, and Williamson counties.
Abbott warned that further rounds of heavy rain could bring more flooding, especially in areas already soaked from previous storms.
Families were allowed back into Camp Mystic on Sunday morning. One girl carried a large bell out of a building. A father whose daughter had been rescued from a cabin perched on high ground searched along the riverbank, peering under trees and rocks.
A different family departed with a blue footlocker in tow, as a teenage girl sobbed quietly, gazing out the car window at the devastation left behind.
Nearby, crews operated heavy machinery to remove tree trunks and debris tangled in the river. With each passing hour, the odds of finding more survivors appeared slimmer.
Despite official pleas to stay away, volunteers and families of the missing arrived to search the riverbanks themselves.
Authorities have faced increasing questions about whether enough warnings were issued in an area known for its flood risk, and whether sufficient precautions had been taken.
President Donald Trump signed a federal disaster declaration Sunday for Kerr County and indicated he planned to visit on Friday.
“I would have done it today, but we’d just be in their way,” Trump told reporters. “It’s a horrible thing that took place, absolutely horrible.”
Gov. Abbott pledged nonstop efforts in the search and declared Sunday a day of prayer across Texas.
In Rome, Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, offered special prayers during his weekly blessing, expressing condolences to families, especially for those who lost daughters at the summer camp.
Survivors shared harrowing tales of being swept away and clinging to trees as floodwaters carried debris, trees, and vehicles past them. Others took refuge in attics, praying the rising water wouldn’t reach them.
At Camp Mystic, a cabin of girls held tight to a rope strung across a bridge as rescuers guided them through waters whipping around their legs.
Among those confirmed dead was an eight-year-old girl from Mountain Brook, Alabama, who was attending Camp Mystic, and the director of another nearby summer camp.
Two sisters from Dallas remained missing after their cabin was swept away. Their parents, staying in a separate cabin, were unharmed, but the girls’ grandparents were still unaccounted for.
The National Weather Service had issued flood watches Thursday, followed by increasingly urgent warnings early Friday, culminating in a rare flash flood emergency.
Officials said they hadn’t anticipated rainfall of such ferocity, equivalent to months of rain falling in mere hours.
Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said authorities plan a comprehensive review of the emergency response, including how the public was warned.
Asked whether he still planned to phase out FEMA, Trump said, “That’s something we can talk about later, but right now we are busy working.” He previously criticized FEMA’s performance and has expressed interest in overhauling or eliminating the agency entirely.
When asked if he would rehire federal meteorologists laid off during recent budget cuts, Trump replied, “I would think not. This was a thing that happened in seconds. Nobody expected it. Nobody saw it. Very talented people there, and they didn’t see it.”
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