**Desperate Search Underway for Missing Girls After Deadly Texas Floods Claim at Least 24 Lives**
The US state of Texas is reeling after devastating floods swept through the Hill Country region, killing at least 24 people and leaving a community anxiously searching for dozens of missing girls from a local summer camp. The catastrophe erupted on Friday morning when the Guadalupe River, swollen after relentless downpours, overflowed its banks, triggering chaotic conditions and widespread destruction.
Authorities in Kerr County have led extensive rescue operations since the early hours, racing against time as the scale of the disaster unfolded. Helically-aided teams successfully carried out over 167 airlift rescues, and more than 200 people were ultimately saved from the rising waters. However, the overall number of individuals unaccounted for remains uncertain, with an estimated 23 to 25 believed to be young campers from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp located beside the river.
Camp Mystic, known for hosting hundreds of young people each summer, was reportedly obliterated by the flash flood. Survivors have recounted terrifying escapes during the night. One camper, Elinor Lester, aged 13, described how she and her cabin mates were jolted awake around 1.30am by ferocious storms and swiftly escorted to safety by emergency workers. Rescuers reportedly used ropes to guide children across bridges engulfed in knee-high floodwaters, as debris-laden currents threatened to pull them away.
“The whole camp was just gone,” Elinor explained, recalling the fear as helicopters landed nearby to evacuate those stranded. Social media has since become crowded with messages from frantic parents and family members hoping for word from loved ones still missing within the flooded zone.
The suddenness and ferocity of the overnight floods caught locals and emergency officials largely unprepared. According to the Texas Division of Emergency Management chief, Nim Kidd, forecasts ahead of the storm had suggested rainfall totals between three and six inches—far below the nearly one foot of rain that ultimately fell. The National Weather Service acknowledged that the sheer intensity of the downpour “was not anticipated,” resulting in circumstances that outpaced contingency plans and preparedness efforts.
Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha confirmed at a press conference on Friday evening that the death toll had reached 24, with expectations that this figure could still rise as searches continue. The sheriff praised the determination of local, state, and federal rescue teams, but stressed the extreme peril that unexpected natural disasters can pose. “Everyone involved did everything they could given the conditions and the timeline,” Sheriff Leitha stated, while also offering his condolences to the families affected.
Residents of the community have also been left grappling with widespread damage, as flash floods demolished homes and carried away vehicles. Many are now facing the daunting prospect of rebuilding amidst significant emotional and financial hardship. Onlookers, watching the rapidly rising river, have described scenes of utter devastation.
Officials from the local government maintain they responded as quickly as possible. Nonetheless, this event has raised difficult questions regarding the unpredictability of extreme weather, as well as how best to protect vulnerable groups such as children at summer camps, especially during periods of increased climate volatility.
The search and rescue mission remains ongoing, with hundreds of volunteers joining professional responders as hope lingers for more survivors. The camps and family homes affected by the flooding will undoubtedly require substantial support in the weeks and months ahead.
As one of the worst flood events to strike the area in recent memory, the tragedy has galvanised both local communities in Texas and wider regions of the country, highlighting the persistent and escalating threat posed by sudden, severe weather. While investigations continue into the precise circumstances leading to the flooding, attention now turns to the wellbeing of the survivors, the rescue of those still lost, and the long road to recovery for this weather-battered region.