The death toll from catastrophic floods in Texas climbed to at least 78 on Sunday, including at least 28 children. The search for girls missing from a summer camp entered its third day, and renewed fears of more flash flooding, as rain fell on saturated ground, prompted fresh evacuations.
Larry Leitha, the Kerr County Sheriff in Texas Hill Country, reported that 68 people had died in flooding in his county, the epicenter of the disaster, among them 28 children.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott, speaking at a press conference on Sunday afternoon, stated that another 10 individuals had died elsewhere in Texas, and 41 were confirmed missing. The governor did not specify how many of the deceased outside Kerr County were children.
Among the most devastating impacts of the flooding occurred at Camp Mystic summer camp, a nearly century-old Christian girls’ camp. Sheriff Leitha confirmed on Sunday that 10 Camp Mystic campers and one counselor were still missing.
“It was nothing short of horrific to see what those young children went through,” said Abbott, who toured the area on Saturday and pledged continued efforts to locate the missing.
The flooding ensued after the nearby Guadalupe River broke its banks following torrential rain that fell across central Texas on Friday, the US Independence Day holiday.
Nim Kidd, Chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, reported at the Sunday afternoon press conference that the destruction resulted in three deaths in Burnet County, one in Tom Green County, five in Travis County, and one in Williamson County.
“You will see the death toll rise today and tomorrow,” stated Freeman Martin, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, also speaking on Sunday.
Officials reported on Saturday that over 850 people had been rescued, some clinging to trees, after a sudden storm dumped up to 15 inches (38cm) of rain across the region, approximately 85 miles (140km) northwest of San Antonio.
“Everyone in the community is hurting,” Leitha told reporters.
Complicating Rescue Efforts: “Wall of Water” and Federal Response Questions
Kidd stated he was receiving unconfirmed reports of “an additional wall of water” flowing down some of the creeks in the Guadalupe Rivershed, as rain continued to fall on soil already saturated from Friday’s downpours. He mentioned that aircraft were dispatched to scout for additional floodwaters, while search-and-rescue personnel who might be in danger were advised to withdraw from the river.
The National Weather Service issued flood warnings and advisories for central Texas until 4:15 PM local time (2115 GMT) as rains persisted, potentially complicating ongoing rescue efforts.
The Department of Homeland Security announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was activated on Sunday, deploying resources to first responders in Texas after President Donald Trump issued a major disaster declaration. US Coast Guard helicopters and planes are assisting in the search and rescue operations, the department added.
Trump Administration’s Disaster Response Policies Under Scrutiny
Trump, who indicated on Sunday that he would visit the disaster scene, likely on Friday, has previously outlined plans to reduce the federal government’s role in natural disaster response, shifting more of the burden to individual states.
Some experts have questioned whether cuts to the federal workforce by the Trump administration, including at the agency overseeing the National Weather Service, contributed to officials’ failure to accurately predict the floods’ severity and issue adequate warnings before the storm.
Former NOAA director Rick Spinrad stated that Trump’s administration has overseen thousands of job cuts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Weather Service’s parent agency, leaving many weather offices understaffed. Spinrad, while unsure if these staff cuts directly impacted the lack of warning for the extreme Texas flooding, cautioned that they would inevitably degrade the agency’s ability to deliver accurate and timely forecasts.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who oversees NOAA, acknowledged that a “moderate” flood watch issued by the National Weather Service on Thursday had not accurately predicted the extreme rainfall. She added that the Trump administration was working to upgrade the system.
Joaquin Castro, a Democratic US congressman from Texas, told CNN’s “State of the Union” that fewer personnel at the weather service could be dangerous. “When you have flash flooding, there’s a risk that if you don’t have the personnel… to do that analysis, do the predictions in the best way, it could lead to tragedy,” Castro said.
“Complete Devastation” at Camp Mystic
At the time of the flooding, Camp Mystic had 700 girls in residence. Katharine Somerville, a counselor on the Cypress Lake side of Camp Mystic, which is on higher ground than the Guadalupe River side, described her 13-year-old campers being terrified as their cabins sustained damage and lost power in the middle of the night.
“Our cabins at the tippity top of hills were completely flooded with water. I mean, y’all have seen the complete devastation, we never even imagined that this could happen,” Somerville recounted in an interview on Fox News on Sunday. Somerville confirmed that the campers under her care were evacuated on military trucks and were all safe.
The disaster unfolded rapidly on Friday morning as heavier-than-forecast rain caused river waters to surge to as high as 29 feet (9 meters). A day after the disaster struck, the summer camp was a scene of devastation. Inside one cabin, mud lines indicating the water’s height were at least six feet (1.83 m) from the floor. Bed frames, mattresses, and personal belongings caked with mud were scattered throughout. Some buildings had broken windows, and one had a missing wall.
