At least 24 are dead, and girls are missing from a camp, in a catastrophic Texas flood

• Extreme flooding in Central Texas leaves at least 24 dead, and girls missing from a camp.
• The flooding hit Kerr County, Texas, causing widespread damage and multiple fatalities.
• Authorities urge residents to shelter in place and avoid travel near water bodies.

On what should have been a festive Fourth of July, disaster struck in Central Texas.

Extreme flooding left at least 24 dead in Kerr County, and between 23 to 25 children missing from Camp Mystic, a Christian girls camp along the Guadalupe River.

Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said at a press conference on Friday night that there were 24 confirmed fatalities in Kerr County resulting from the torrential rains that hit in the morning. One person was confirmed dead in Kendall County, but Sheriff Leitha said it was unclear if it was related.

It's unclear if the dead include any of the children from the camp.

As many as 12 inches of rain have fallen in the county over the course of the day, with additional rainfall anticipated this evening, local station ABC 7 reported Friday afternoon.

Kerr County and neighboring Kendall County remain under a Flash Flood Warning until Saturday.

As rain continues to fall, a desperate search is underway for those who may have been swept away by the floodwaters.

"There's still several people unaccounted for," Leitha added.

Camp Mystic, located in Hunt, Texas, has around 750 campers; at least 20 girls were unaccounted for on Friday afternoon, according to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.

"That does not mean they've been lost," Patrick said on Friday afternoon at a press conference. "They could be in a tree. They could be out of communication. We're praying for all those missing to be found alive."

Patrick said during the afternoon press conference that the Guadalupe River rose 26 feet in 45 minutes.

During the Friday night news conference, which was live-streamed on Facebook, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called upon God and the community.

"It needs God, but also needs a robust response by the state and local governments, and by people who live in these communities impacted," he said. "We had a meeting with officials at the state and local level, and there is extraordinary collaboration to make sure that we are going to address everybody's concern as quickly as we possibly can."

Camp Mystic welcomes girls once they've completed second grade. In the Guadalupe River camp group, girls can enroll in one of three sessions, each lasting either two or four weeks. The sessions run from May 30 to August 10, with dates divided across the summer.

On Facebook, parents and community members have circulated flyers with contact numbers, urging the public to help locate the missing children.

An 8-year-old from Dallas is among the missing. Her mother told WFAA News on Friday evening that she was traveling to reach the camp.

Kerr County has an estimated population of 53,900 in 2024, according to the US Census Bureau. The county sits in the Hill Country region of Central Texas, including cities like San Antonio and Austin. Beyond the Guadalupe River, the region is home to several others, including the Colorado, Concho, and Blanco Rivers.

The Kerr County Sheriff's Department said on Facebook that it was responding to a "catastrophic flooding event."

"Our Office is working with a wide variety of local and state agencies to respond to calls and rescues," the department wrote on Facebook.

"The entire county is an extremely active scene. Residents are encouraged to shelter in place and not attempt travel. Those near creeks, streams, and the Guadalupe River should immediately move to higher ground."

With the county focused on locating the missing, several local cities have canceled Independence Day events.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.