KERR COUNTY, Texas – At least 68 people, including 28 children, were killed in Kerr County flooding, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said in a Sunday afternoon news conference.
Ten girls from Camp Mystic and one counselor are still unaccounted for, Leitha said.
Eighteen adults and 10 children have yet to be identified.
Watch the full Sunday afternoon news update from Kerrville below.
Leitha was joined at the Sunday afternoon news conference by Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice and Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr.
Rice briefly addressed questions about an “emergency notification” made to the area before Friday’s deadly flooding.
“While it is not the time to speculate, local and regional partners are committed to a full review of the events and systems in place,” Rice said on Sunday afternoon. “At the appropriate time, we will take clear steps to strengthen our future preparedness. We owe that commitment to the families who are suffering and to every member of our community.”
Rice announced that city, regional and state agencies are working to establish a “family assistance care center” where survivors of this weekend’s flooding can have access to clothes, cleaning supplies and toiletries.
More details on the care center will be shared when they are available, Rice said.
Herring said H-E-B has joined the recovery effort in Kerr County. The San Antonio-based grocery store, which opened its first-ever location in Kerrville, is in the process of “setting up a mobile kitchen in Ingram.”
“When that kitchen is set up, it’ll be able to feed a lot of hungry people in the Hunt and Ingram area,” Herring said on Sunday afternoon.
The mayor also recommended ways people can financially support or lend a hand in Kerrville. A Kerr County Flood Relief Fund has been established online at the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country’s website.
Volunteers can also help in person with the Salvation Army at the KROC Center, located at 201 Holdsworth Drive, Herring said.
“Please pray for our community,” Herring said. “I believe in prayer, and prayers have been answered.”
President Donald Trump signed a major disaster declaration Sunday for Kerr County, activating the Federal Emergency Management Agency to Texas.
The president said he would likely visit Friday.
“I would have done it today, but we’d just be in their way,” he told reporters before boarding Air Force One back to Washington after spending the weekend at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. “It’s a horrible thing that took place, absolutely horrible.”
>> Who remains missing after flood waters swept through Texas Hill Country
Rescuers are combing through a ravaged Texas Hill Country terrain, marked by toppled trees, overturned vehicles and debris, to find an unknown number of missing people.
“These numbers are continuing to change and increase as time goes on,” Leitha said on Sunday morning.
More than 400 personnel from more than 20 agencies are in Kerr County searching for survivors.
Just after 11 a.m. on Sunday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced it had been activated following President Donald Trump’s major disaster declaration.
“The Department of Homeland Security will ensure that state and local authorities have the resources they need to lead a swift and effective response amid this tragic disaster,” the DHS said in a news release.
Dear Governor @GregAbbott_TX:
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) July 6, 2025
I have declared a major disaster under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq. (the “Stafford Act”), for the State of Texas due to damage resulting from severe storms, straight-line winds, and… pic.twitter.com/oz2GzIyGiI
Leitha stressed that anyone who wants to report a missing person can either call a call center at 830-258-1111 or email floodrecovery@co.Kerr.tx.us.
“We extend our sincerest condolences and prayers for every single family affected by this tragedy,” Leitha said Sunday morning. “And we continue to work around the clock and reunite these families. We will continue to search our search efforts until everybody is found.”
Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said search crews started at 6 a.m. Sunday.
“We have increased our number of personnel that are navigating the really challenging shores along the bank line, but we are continuing to make progress from west to east as we continue operations,” Rice said.
Rice said he understands people want to help, but they should not fly their personal drones, as it is a danger to aircraft.
People who want to volunteer or make a donation can call 830-465-4797.
Watch Kerr County’s Sunday morning news conference below.
In a separate Sunday afternoon news conference held in Austin, Gov. Greg Abbott said the state is working “as swiftly as possible” to get families accurate information about missing loved ones as the death toll around the state rises.
“Separate from (Kerr County) in the Central Texas area, there are confirmed 10 deceased and, across the state in all the areas affected by flooding, there are 41 known missing,” Abbott said.
Watch the governor’s Sunday afternoon news conference below.
According to Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd, the fatalities were recorded in the following counties:
- 5 in Travis County
- 3 in Burnet County
- 1 in Tom Green County
- 1 in Williamson County
Numbers are subject to change as recovery efforts continue.
Among the missing are two people in Williamson County and two people in Burnet County – the fire chief and a 17-year-old girl – according to Freeman Martin with the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Abbott said anyone who suspects their loved one is missing should contact local officials with specific identification information.
Kidd urged anyone not involved with the rescue response to stay out of the area.
All press conferences will be livestreamed on KSAT Plus.
The City of Kerrville is conducting aerial and ground operations about a 100-meter distance on both sides of the Guadalupe River from one mile north of Camp Mystic through Hunt and Ingram, Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said Saturday evening.
“We’re in a marathon and we got to make sure we always think about that and look after each other,” Rice said.
Rice said the city will likely operate from well water for approximately four weeks. Efforts are underway to address leaks and water quality with state agencies.
Residents are urged to avoid flooded areas.
“We will be relentless in going after and being sure we locate every single person who’s been a victim of this flooding event,” Abbott said Saturday.
He declared Sunday a “day of prayer” for the state.
At least eight fatalities have been reported in adjacent counties.
As of 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office said it has recovered two bodies in connection with the Fourth of July severe weather.
Regarding the number of missing people throughout the area, Rice said on Saturday morning, “We do not have an accurate count, and we don’t even want to begin to estimate at this time.”
Rice said they will not release the names of the missing to protect the privacy of their families.
He said searchers have been using helicopters, boats and drones to look for victims. The majority of rescues include stranded people in trees and victims from camps, which were isolated by washed-out roads.
Rice said there are a lot of camps that have been accounted for but are isolated due to road damage.
More than 850 people have been rescued so far, Leitha said on Saturday morning.
Video captured by KSAT cameras, residents and campers showed a swollen Guadalupe River carrying debris, cars and even houses and cabins downstream, as the area received more than 10 inches of rain.
Radar estimates show that more rural places may have received up to 13 inches of rain, according to KSAT meteorologists.
The flooding event has drawn comparisons to the July 1987 flood on the Guadalupe River in Comfort, which, to date, resulted in one of the Hill Country’s worst tragedies.
Authorities were coming under scrutiny over whether the camps and residents in places long vulnerable to flooding received proper warning and whether enough preparations were made.
The hills along the Guadalupe River in central Texas are dotted with century-old youth camps and campgrounds where generations of families have come to swim and enjoy the outdoors. The area is especially popular around the July Fourth holiday, making it more difficult to know how many are missing.
San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones outlines city support
San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones joined KSAT on Sunday to discuss how the city is supporting relief efforts.
At the governor’s request, San Antonio has sent 17 firefighters specializing in technical rescue, along with medics, medical officers and necessary equipment, including a boat and ambulance bus. Jones praised the quick response from city staff and ongoing coordination with Kerrville officials.
“I myself have been in contact with the mayor,” she said. “We were actually just texting this morning about resources we can amplify to make sure people have the right partners if they want to help.”
Jones emphasized that while San Antonio is providing support, local officials and camp authorities are managing reunification efforts for those affected. She encouraged people wanting to help to contact trusted organizations.
WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW BELOW:
Pope Leo XIV releases statement
On X, Pope Leo XIV released the following statement on Sunday:
“I would like to express sincere condolences to all the families who have lost loved ones, in particular their daughters, who were at the summer camp, in the disaster caused by flooding of the Guadalupe River in Texas in the United States. We pray for them,” he said.
I would like to express sincere condolences to all the families who have lost loved ones, in particular their daughters, who were at the summer camp, in the disaster caused by flooding of the Guadalupe River in Texas in the United States. We pray for them.
— Pope Leo XIV (@Pontifex) July 6, 2025
Bexar, Guadalupe counties included in expanded disaster declaration
On Saturday afternoon, Abbott expanded his disaster declaration to include the following counties:
- Bexar
- Burnet
- Guadalupe
- Travis
- Caldwell
- Williamson
Abbott had previously signed a disaster declaration for the following counties during Friday’s news conference: Bandera, Coke, Comal, Concho, Gillespie, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Llano, Mason, McCulloch, Menard, Reeves, San Saba and Tom Green.
Remembering the victims of the flood
Officials have not released the names of people killed in the floods, but relatives and friends of victims have taken to social media to remember their loved ones.
Here’s what we know about some of the victims:
- Richard “Dick” Eastland, the director of Camp Mystic was among the people killed due to the Hill Country floods, according to media reports. On Saturday, the Kerrville Daily Times confirmed Eastland was killed while trying to save girls at the camp. Read our story here.
- Tivy boys soccer coach Reece Zunker and his wife Paula died in the Hill Country floods, and their children are missing, according to the team and the Kerrville Daily Times. Read our story here.
- Humble ISD teacher Jeff Wilson was among those killed, the district posted on X. His wife, Amber, and son, Shiloh, are still considered missing, the district said in the Saturday night post. Read our story here.
- Jane Ragsdale, director of Heart O’ the Hills camp, was killed in the floods, according to a statement from the camp. Read our story here.
‘Horrible tragedy’: Trump releases statement
President Donald Trump said Saturday that Noem was traveling to Texas and his administration was working with officials on the ground.
“Melania and I are praying for all of the families impacted by this horrible tragedy,” Trump said in a statement on his social media network, Truth Social.
“Our Brave First Responders are on site doing what they do best. GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS!”
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) July 5, 2025
Campers reported missing
KSAT reported Friday morning that campers at the girls-only Camp Mystic in Kerr County had to be evacuated as the river rose.
An email from Camp Mystic to parents, which was obtained by KSAT, states that parents of campers who have not been accounted for have been notified.
The email states that campers at Cypress Lake and Senior Hill have been accounted for.
“If your daughter is not accounted for you have been notified,” the email states. “If you have not been personally contacted, then your daughter is accounted for.”
The highway was washed away, the email states.
Kelly said he didn’t have information on specific camps. Parents with questions should contact their camp directly, he said.
“We have a lot of camps,” Kelly said. ”What I do know is that everybody is doing their very best and trying to identify as much as we can."
County judge: Warning system not in place
In a news conference Friday, Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said Kerr County does not have a warning system on the river.
When pressed by a reporter on why evacuations didn’t take place Thursday evening, Kelly said, “We didn’t know this flood was coming.”
“Rest assured, no one knew this kind of flood was coming,” he said. “We have floods all the time. This is the most dangerous river valley in the United States, and we deal with floods on a regular basis. When it rains, we get water. We had no reason to believe that this was going to be anything like what’s happened here, none whatsoever.”
The flash flood watch was issued for Kerr County at 1:45 p.m. Thursday. The first flood warning was issued at 1 a.m. Friday.
In a Friday news conference, Patrick said Jay Hall, an assistant chief with the Texas Department of Emergency Management, “personally contacted the judges and the mayors in that area and notified them all of potential flooding.”
“It is up to the local counties and mayors under the law to evacuate if they feel a need, but that information was passed along,” he added.
WATCH: KSAT’s Sarah Spivey explains the Guadalupe River’s crest over Friday and Saturday
10+ inches of rain
Between 10 and 12 inches of rain fell in the Kerr County area overnight, resulting in major flooding along the Guadalupe River. Click here for the latest forecast.
Rain gauges have recorded over 10 inches of rain in Ingram, but radar estimates suggest up to 13 inches in more rural areas.
Local authorities are working with other county and state agencies to respond to rescues.
“The entire county is an extremely active scene,” the sheriff’s office wrote on Facebook.
Residents in the area are urged to shelter in place and not travel. People living near creeks, streams and the Guadalupe River should move to higher ground.
KCSO spokesperson Clint Morris told KSAT it is “an extremely active scene, countywide.”
“This may be a once-in-a-lifetime flood” for the county, he said, adding that they’ve responded to multiple calls for high-water rescues. People should avoid traveling west of Ingram near the Guadalupe River.
Comparisons to the 1987 flood
On the night of July 16, 1987, just outside Comfort, the kids at Pot O’ Gold Christian Camp were settling in for their final night of the retreat, while 30 miles up the Guadalupe River, at the other end of Kerr County, heavy rainfall would turn what had been a sleepy river into a wall of water.
While trying to evacuate the camp, a bus carrying 43 campers never made it across. Sadly, 10 of those on the bus drowned.
In Friday’s news conference, Kelly said the Friday flood “far surpasses the ‘87 flood."
Gov. Greg Abbott issues statement
Abbott issued the following statement on Friday in response to the deadly flooding.
“Texas is providing all necessary resources to Kerrville, Ingram, Hunt and the entire Texas Hill Country dealing with these devastating floods,” Abbott said in an email. “The State of Texas today has mobilized additional resources in addition to the resources sent in preparation for the storms. I urge Texans to heed guidance from state and local officials and monitor local forecasts to avoid driving into flooded areas.”
His office said the following state emergency response resources are available to support the local flood response:
- Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (Texas A&M Task Force 1 and Texas A&M Task Force 3): Swiftwater Rescue Boat Squads to assist with flood rescues
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: Game Wardens, rescue boat teams, and helicopters with hoist capability to assist with flood rescues
- Texas Department of Public Safety: Helicopters with hoist capabilities, Texas Highway Patrol Troopers, and the Tactical Marine Unit
- Texas National Guard: High-profile vehicles to aid stranded motorists, Blackhawk helicopters with hoist capability to assist with flood rescues
- Texas Department of Transportation: Personnel monitoring road conditions
- Texas A&M Forest Service: Saw Crews to assist with clearing of roadways
- Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service: Disaster Assessment and Recovery Agents as well as County Extension Agents to support agricultural and livestock needs
- Public Utility Commission of Texas: Power outage monitoring and coordination with utility providers
- Railroad Commission of Texas: Monitoring of the state’s natural gas supply and communication with the oil and gas industry
- Texas Commission on Environmental Quality: Air/water/wastewater monitoring
- Texas Department of State Health Services (Texas Emergency Medical Task Force): Severe Weather Support Packages consisting of medics, ambulances, and all-terrain vehicles
The San Antonio Fire Department and Bexar County Emergency Services Districts have also deployed personnel and equipment to help with the response.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.