At least 24 dead, dozens missing after catastrophic flooding along Guadalupe River, Texas

At least 24 fatalities have been reported following severe flooding in Central Texas after the Guadalupe River reached historic heights on July 4, 2025. Dozens remain missing as search and rescue operations continue. A State of Disaster has been declared for 15 counties.

Heavy rains began on the night of July 3 and continued into July 4, dropping 130–305 mm (5–12 inches) of rain across parts of Central Texas, including Kerr County. Reports indicate that some areas recorded localized totals of over 380 mm (15 inches) during the period.

The heavy rains caused the Guadalupe River to rise by nearly 8 m (26 feet) in around an hour during the early hours of July 4, surpassing 1987 flood levels and reaching its second-highest level on record. The river reached nearly 9 m (30 feet) during the morning of July 4.

The resulting flash floods left at least 24 people dead and prompted rescue operations for hundreds of others. Victims include both adults and children, with dozens more remain missing. Between 23 and 25 girls attending Camp Mystic State, a riverside Christian camp in Hunt, Texas, were reported missing due to the floods. Officials stated that the death toll is expected to rise.

Air rescue missions like this are being done around the clock.

We will not stop until everyone is accounted for. pic.twitter.com/tqwTr1RkEi

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) July 4, 2025

Governor Greg Abbott signed a disaster declaration for 15 counties. State officials did not estimate the number of missing persons but said a large-scale search was ongoing, with nearly 300 people rescued, including over 160 rescued by helicopter.

Abbott’s office stated that the State of Texas has deployed more than 1 000 state responders, over 800 vehicles and equipment assets, and more than 15 state agencies to respond to the flooding threat.

Visuals shared on social media showed floodwaters carrying entire homes as the Guadalupe River kept rising. The damage from the flood is yet to be assessed, but multiple homes and businesses are expected to have been completely destroyed.

Lt. Governor Patrick stated that the Guadalupe River rose approximately 8 m (26 feet) in 45 minutes. An alert was issued between 04:00 and 05:00 local time. Dalton Rice, city manager of Kerrville, explained the rapid rise of the Guadalupe River.

Rice stated that the Guadalupe River has a north and a south fork that converge and flow through Kerrville. Under typical conditions since 1987, water levels have been predictable, but the recent rain exceeded forecasts.

He added that the rain event exceeded forecasts for both forks. Water on the south fork rose from approximately 2.1 m (7 feet) to 8.8 m (29 feet) within minutes, converging at the Guadalupe River.

This is how fast the Guadalupe River in central Texas rose this morning. Terrifying!pic.twitter.com/2PS3mB52FB

— Volcaholic (@volcaholic1) July 4, 2025

The Texas Division of Emergency Management held multiple meetings since Thursday, but officials stated that the National Weather Service did not forecast the volume of rainfall observed. The original estimate was up to 200 mm (8 inches).

Officials expressed ongoing concern about weather conditions and advised that individuals not living in the area should not enter.

The storm complex responsible for today’s Guadalupe River flood looks absolutely crazy on satellite. pic.twitter.com/lGvRkFHFeR

— Backpirch Weather (@BackpirchCrew) July 4, 2025

Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly stated that the area lacks a warning system and that authorities were unprepared for the intensity of the flooding.

“We had no reason to believe it would be anything like what happened here. None whatsoever,” said Kelly.

BREAKING: Multiple deaths have been reported after flash flooding in Central Texas, where the Guadalupe River overflowed overnight, impacting communities like Kerrville, Centre Point, Ingram, and Comfort.pic.twitter.com/XJzcWN4Vya

— Volcaholic (@volcaholic1) July 4, 2025

The threat of flooding remains for much of the region, with flash flood emergencies issued for multiple counties. A Flash Flood Emergency was declared for Burnet County, where 130–305 mm (5–12 inches) of rainfall has already been recorded, and 50–130 mm (2–5 inches) remains in the forecast.

Updates

09:48 UTC, July 14

As of July 14, the floods resulted in over 130 fatalities, including at least 106 in Kerr County. Among the dead were 27 individuals from Camp Mystic who were swept away by the floodwaters. Around 160 people remain missing in the areas affected by the flooding.

Within a few hours, rainfall equivalent to four months fell across the Texas Hill Country on July 4, with peak totals reaching 516 mm (20.33 inches). This was the deadliest inland flooding event in the United States since the 1976 Big Thompson River flood, exceeding the flooding caused by Hurricane Helene in 2024.

Feature image credit: Brandon Hans

Rishav Kothari

I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.

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