As of Saturday evening, 21 children and 38 adults had died in Kerr County, all of whom had not yet been identified. At least eight more deaths were reported in neighboring counties, according to several US media outlets citing the regional administration.
Not all of the bodies have been identified yet. The search for missing people from a Christian summer camp ("Camp Mystic") is still ongoing. US President Donald Trump has pushed for further federal aid for the area by declaring a disaster.
Photo gallery: Flash floods in Texas: Dozens dead, 27 children missing
Picture of devastation in summer camp
Texas Governor Greg Abbott reportedly visited Camp Mystic on Saturday. He wrote on Platform X that he was shocked. The facility had been devastated"unlike any natural disaster I've ever seen." Water was rising up to the roof of the cabins."We will not stop until we find all the girls who were in those cabins." He declared this Sunday a day of prayer in the state.
Many families are still waiting for news
As the New York Times reported, parents of Camp Mystic participants received only a short email on Friday:"We have suffered catastrophic flooding," it read."If your daughter has not been found, we have notified you. If you have not been contacted personally, your daughter is safe."
A ten-year-old girl was lucky, as her mother told the New York Times: Her hut was high enough that she could wait there for rescue. Another participant had to run through rushing water to a gallery in the middle of the night. There, she spent a sleepless night while the water rose beneath her. The next day, she was rescued by helicopter. She described the flight only as"noisy."
Some people saved themselves by climbing trees
Many parents of the missing are still hoping for such happy endings. According to authorities, more than 850 people were rescued unharmed. Eight people were injured. Some people had sought refuge in trees to avoid being swept away by the floods.
The situation in the area was confusing. On Saturday, there was no electricity or internet in parts of the area. Television images showed cars being swept away, trees uprooted, and houses flooded. In some cases, bodies were found in cars that had been washed away. The full extent of the disaster remains unclear. Many Americans had used the rural area in the southern United States to camp by rivers over the long weekend.
Climate change makes extreme rainfall more likely
The severe flooding since Friday morning took many people by surprise. According to authorities, rivers overflowing their banks is not uncommon in the area popular with summer camps. However, the magnitude was unusual.
The Guadalupe River is the confluence of two headwaters, Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice explained at a press conference Saturday evening. Heavy rain fell on both. The water then converged in the Guadalupe River near Kerrville, causing the rapid rise in water levels.
Extreme rainfall events have increased in Texas in recent decades due to climate change, Kristina Dahl, vice president of science at the US nonprofit Climate Central, told CNN."As our climate warms, the atmosphere can hold more moisture—making it more likely we'll experience extreme rainfall events like this," Dahl said. The numerous deaths now highlight"how unprepared we are as a nation for disasters of this magnitude, let alone what's to come as our planet continues to warm."
US President Donald Trump posted on the Truth Social platform on Saturday: "Melania and I are praying for all the families affected by this terrible tragedy." And: "GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS!" Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visited Texas and promised more aid.
