(NewsNation) — At least 82 people are confirmed dead after flash floods swept through Central Texas over the Fourth of July holiday amid rescuers’ desperate search for many others still missing, including 10 girls from a summer camp.
According to NewsNation affiliate KXAN, there were 68 flood-related deaths reported in Kerr County, 6 in Travis County, 3 in Burnet County, 2 in Kendall County, 1 in Tom Green County, and 2 in Williamson County.
Of the 68 deceased in Kerr County, Sheriff Larry Leitha said Sunday, there were 40 adults and 28 children.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Sunday said there are 41 people still unaccounted for, including 10 girls from Camp Mystic and one counselor, according to local officials.
Sheriff Leitha pledged to keep searching in the Hill Country region until “everybody is found” from Friday’s flash floods.
In a press briefing on Sunday, Gov. Abbott said more heavy rain and storms were expected across Central Texas, and he advised residents to remain cautious for the next 24 to 48 hours. Earlier, he issued a disaster declaration for several counties.
On Sunday evening, the National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio said on X, “Right now the heaviest activity is located over the Hill Country where several Flash Flood warnings are now in effect.”
The Kerr County Sheriff’s Office said Sunday there are more than 400 first responders from 20 different agencies aiding in search efforts.
According to Kerr County officials, this includes a dozen K9 units working in and near the river, and more than 100 air, water, and ground vehicles in the field.
Abbott said the searches are ongoing. More than 850 people had been rescued so far, officials said, including 167 by helicopter.
“Some were clinging to trees to save their lives,” Abbott said of people who had been rescued.
People who want to help can donate money at the website of Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr. said.
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A view of Camp Mystic, the site of where at least 20 girls went missing after flash flooding in Hunt, Texas, on July 5, 2025. Rescuers were on Saturday searching for more than 20 girls missing from a riverside summer camp in the US state of Texas, after torrential rains caused devastating flooding that killed at least 27 people — with more rain on the way. “So far, we’ve evacuated over 850 uninjured people, eight injured people and have recovered 27 deceased fatalities at this time. Of these 27, 18 are adults, nine are children,” said Kerr Country Sheriff Larry Leitha on July 5. (Photo by RONALDO SCHEMIDT / AFP) (Photo by RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP via Getty Images) -
A Camp Mystic sign is seen near the entrance to the establishment along the banks of the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept through the area in Hunt, Texas, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) -
A wall is missing on a building at Camp Mystic along the banks of the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept through the area Saturday, July 5, 2025, in Hunt, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) -
A Texas Department of Public Safety official combs through the banks of the Guadalupe River near Camp Mystic after a flash flood swept through the area Saturday, July 5, 2025, in Hunt, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) -
A man combs through the banks of the Guadalupe River near Camp Mystic after a flash flood swept through the area Saturday, July 5, 2025, in Hunt, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) -
A Texas Department of Public Safety official combs through the banks of the Guadalupe River near Camp Mystic after a flash flood swept through the area Saturday, July 5, 2025, in Hunt, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) -
A Sheriff’s deputy pauses while combing through the banks of the Guadalupe River near Camp Mystic after a flash flood swept through the area Saturday, July 5, 2025, in Hunt, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) -
Texas Gov. Greg Abbot, second from front left, and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, second from right, visit Camp Mystic along the banks of the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept through the area Saturday, July 5, 2025, in Hunt, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) -
Officials search on the grounds of Camp Mystic along the banks of the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept through the area Sunday, July 6, 2025, in Hunt, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) -
A person pulls luggage at Camp Mystic along the banks of the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept through the area Sunday, July 6, 2025, in Hunt, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) -
A person looks at damage to the main building at Camp Mystic along the banks of the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept through the area Sunday, July 6, 2025, in Hunt, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Camp Mystic: Girls from camp still unaccounted for
Much of the nationwide focus in the wake of the natural disaster remained on the still-missing girls who had been staying at Camp Mystic near Hunt, Texas, when the nearby Guadalupe River rose more than 20 feet within two hours early July 4.
The Christian camp, which dates back to the 1920s, had been hosting nearly 750 girls and young women. Most of the attendees were able to escape to safety, but others had been sleeping on lower ground at the time of the flash flood.
Family members confirmed to KXAN-TV in Austin that “multiple” girls did not survive.
The family of camper Lila Bonner told the station on Saturday the girl had been killed. “We ache with all who loved her and are praying endlessly for others to be spared from this tragic loss,” family members said in a prepared statement.
The mayor of Mountain Brook, Ala., released a statement expressing grief at the loss of Sarah Marsh, an 8-year-old camper who attended Cherokee Bend Elementary.
“This is an unimaginable loss for her family, her school, and our entire community,” Mayor Stewart Welch said.
Texas flooding deaths: Who’s accountable for the tragedy?
Officials face increasing scrutiny for the widening tragedy. At the Saturday evening news conference, someone asked Rice, the city manager, how the girls could have been allowed to stay at the camp as potential danger grew.
“That’s the question of the hour,” Rice replied.
He said severe-weather reports are not always taken seriously because predictions may not pan out — creating a “cry wolf” scenario. Rice added that the rain that fell Thursday into Friday was “almost double of what was anticipated.”
On Sunday, he promised a review of how regional authorities had responded to the unexpected torrential rains that led to the disaster. For now, he said, the emphasis is on the search for missing people: “Nothing is more important than bringing comfort and clarity to those who are waiting and grieving.”
The National Weather Service had placed the county under a flood watch Thursday night, with a flash flood warning issued around 1 a.m.
Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly earlier told media outlets that there was no warning regarding the severity of the flood and said the county doesn’t have a warning system.
By Friday morning, the Guadalupe River in western Kerr County had reached 29 feet, the second-highest level on record. The river surpassed flooding levels seen in 1987, when floods killed 10 teenagers near Comfort, Texas.
Texas Hill Country is known as “Flash Flood Alley” because of the way hills shed deluges of rain into the valleys and waterways below.
Abbott issued a proclamation declaring Sunday a “Day of Prayer.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.