KERR COUNTY, Texas – At least 84 people, including 28 children, were killed in Kerr County, and another six were found dead in Kendall County due to flooding, officials said Monday.
Kerr County officials updated their latest figures in a Monday afternoon email to reporters.
Across Central Texas, crews are continuing to pick through debris and wade through swollen rivers in search of victims in catastrophic flooding over the Fourth of July weekend. As of Monday afternoon, more than 100 people have been killed throughout Central Texas.
As of 2:30 p.m. Monday:
- 84 dead in Kerr County, according to the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office
- 7 dead in Travis County, according to KXAN
- 6 dead in Kendall County, according to the Kendall County Emergency Management
- 3 dead in Burnet County, according to KXAN
- 2 dead in Williamson County, according to Williamson County Emergency Services
- 1 dead in Tom Green County, according to the Associated Press
This article will be updated throughout the day on Monday.
On Monday morning, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, and officials from Kerr County and Kerrville briefed the public on search and rescue efforts thus far.
Of the deceased in Kerr County, the identities of 22 adults and 10 children are still pending.
Also on Monday morning, Camp Mystic in Kerr County confirmed the deaths of 27 campers and counselors.
“Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy. We are praying for them constantly,” the statement read, in part.
On Saturday, the Kerrville Daily Times confirmed the camp’s longtime owner, Richard “Dick” Eastland was killed while trying to save girls at the camp.
Kerr County officials reiterated on Monday afternoon that 10 campers and one counselor are still missing.
The Hill Country remains under a flood watch on Monday until 7 p.m. For the latest forecast, click here.
You can watch Monday morning’s press conference in the video player below.
In a Monday afternoon news conference, Kendall County Emergency Operations Coordinator Brady Constantine said the county’s emergency operations center was activated at 6:37 a.m. on July 4.
All six fatalities in Kendall County are pending identification, he said. As of Monday, there are no confirmed missing Kendall County residents.
Walter Ball with the Boerne Fire Department said the department conducted eight rescues and multiple evacuations in the Comfort area on the morning of July 4. Crews continue to assist with search and rescue efforts.
Watch the full Monday afternoon press conference in Kendall County in the video player below.
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 Fourth of July holiday, making it more difficult to know how many are missing.
As of Monday, here’s what we know.
Communications to the public, questions about total number of missing
Asked why evacuations were not put into place for campers along the north and south forks of the Guadalupe River, Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice called it “a delicate balance.”
“Because if you evacuate too late, you then risk putting buses or cars or vehicles or campers on roads (and) into low-water areas trying to get them out, which then could make it even more challenging,” Rice said. “These flash floods happen very quickly, as well.”
>> Timeline: When the warnings began for Kerr County before catastrophic flooding
Rice did not know if there was communication from law enforcement to any of the camps, such as Camp Mystic, along the river between 1 and 4 a.m. on Friday.
“Kerr County is a massive area; from here to those camps is 45 minutes on a good day,” Rice said. “A lot of those areas don’t even have cell service ... there’s a lot of areas, especially when weather comes in, where cellular towers are down or you already have bad service.”
Rice said officials did not have a solid number of missing people ready to share, but did know “it is a lot.”
Search and rescue efforts continue
State Highway 39 and Old Ingram Loop remain closed aside from first responders and residents living in the area, Rice said.
Multiple local, state and national first responders are expected to resume search and rescue efforts this week.
Search and rescue efforts continued Monday from Kerr County to Comal County, though crews were having to work in difficult terrain, Rice said.
More than 19 local, state and national organizations were assisting in the rescue efforts. Rice said the search area between the counties is being separated into grids for first responders to work in.
The Kerrville Public Utility Board (KPUB) was reporting continued power outages between Hunt and Ingram along the south fork of the Guadalupe River, according to Rice.
“KPUB has brought in additional utility personnel to help with restoration, but it’s not possible at this time (to know) when the power is going to be restored,” he said.
Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr. said Monday that “this will be a rough week” for his community.
“Primary search continues, and we remain hopeful every foot, every mile (and) every bend of the river,” Herring said.
The mayor also asked prospective volunteers to contact the Salvation Army in Kerrville and register to avoid uncoordinated operations. He said continued updates would be posted to the city’s Facebook page.
Cruz, who said just last week he was picking up his daughter from a camp in Hunt, said the state is “grieving right now.”
“The children and little girls who were lost at Camp Mystic; that’s every parent’s worst nightmare,” Cruz said.
In a Monday afternoon email to reporters, Kerr County officials said there would not be an afternoon press conference.
The officials expect to hold another press conference at 10 a.m. Tuesday.
What happened on Sunday
Watch the full Sunday afternoon news update from Kerrville below.
Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha was joined at the Sunday afternoon news conference by Rice and Herring.
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 on 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 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 on 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.”
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.
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.
Watch the governor’s Sunday afternoon news conference below.
Abbott said anyone who suspects their loved one is missing should contact local officials with specific identification information.
Rice said they will not release the names of the missing to protect the privacy of their families.
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 in the Hill Country.
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,” Jones 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 Jones’ full Sunday morning interview with KSAT 12 News 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
- Caldwell
- Guadalupe
- Travis
- 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.
Click here to read more about the victims.
‘Horrible tragedy’: Trump releases statement
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
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,” Kelly 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 12’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 on Friday, resulting in major flooding along the Guadalupe River.
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.
Kerr County 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."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.