The death toll from devastating floods in Texas rose to over 100 on Monday, as search-and-rescue teams pressed on in their efforts to find those still missing after massive rains swept through the state over the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
Among the confirmed dead were at least 27 girls and camp counsellors who had been attending a summer youth camp along the Guadalupe River when the floods struck in the early hours of Friday. The camp, Camp Mystic, a Christian all-girls retreat housing about 750 people, was hit particularly hard.
Kerr County — through which the river runs — was the worst affected, with local authorities reporting at least 84 deaths, including 28 children. In total, at least 104 people have been confirmed dead across central Texas.
“This is a 100-year catastrophe that nobody expected,” said President Donald Trump, who announced he would visit Texas on Friday. He has signed a major disaster declaration to unlock federal relief funds and emergency resources.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott warned that further rainfall could worsen conditions, as the already saturated ground continues to struggle to absorb additional water.
“There is still a threat of heavy rain with the potential to cause more flooding,” he said in a statement Monday, noting the death toll could rise further.
The rescue and recovery operation involves helicopters, boats, search dogs, and more than 1,750 personnel. Volunteers, some personally connected to the victims, are combing through debris.
“We’re helping the parents of two of the missing girls. The last message they received was, ‘We’re being washed away,’ and then the phone went dead,” said Louis Deppe, 62, one of the volunteers.
President Trump’s administration pushed back against criticism that cuts to weather agencies weakened early-warning systems. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called such claims “a depraved lie”, asserting that the National Weather Service (NWS) provided accurate and timely forecasts.
However, questions remain about whether those warnings were effectively disseminated in time to prevent loss of life. Climate scientist Daniel Swain said the failure appeared to lie in the “dissemination of warnings”, not their issuance.
San Antonio mother Nicole Wilson, who had nearly sent her daughters to Camp Mystic, launched a petition urging Governor Abbott to implement a modern, statewide flood-warning system. “Five minutes of that siren going off could have saved every single one of those children,” she told AFP.
At a vigil held in San Antonio Monday night, mourners lit candles and shared prayers for the victims.
“I was shocked at how severe the flooding was. I never imagined our rivers could rise so fast,” said 29-year-old Rebeca Gutierrez. “I hope preventative measures are put in place to avoid something like this in the future.”
The disaster unfolded when months’ worth of rainfall fell within hours between Thursday night and Friday morning. The Guadalupe River rose a staggering 26 feet (eight metres) in just 45 minutes, submerging trees and cabins and sweeping away anything in its path.
Blankets, toys, and shattered belongings were found caked in mud across the area. Windows of cabins were smashed by the force of the water as floodwaters reached rooftops while campers slept.
Texas Senator Ted Cruz described the event as “a tragic turn” for summer camps — a cherished tradition for many American families.
Experts say climate change, driven by human activity, is intensifying extreme weather events, including flash floods, droughts, and heatwaves. In Texas, a region often dubbed “Flash Flood Alley”, the growing frequency and severity of such disasters is prompting renewed calls for stronger preparedness and infrastructure.
