The number of people killed in flash floods across central Texas has climbed to 82, with 10 campers missing, authorities confirmed on Sunday.
Most of the deaths were in Kerr County, where the Guadalupe River burst its banks after nearly a foot of rain fell on Friday.
The disaster struck the Texas Hill Country, an area dotted with summer camps, during the busy Independence Day weekend. Camp Mystic, an all-girls camp near Hunt, was hit hard.
Survivors described terrifying scenes as water surged through cabins and homes in the early hours. Some clung to trees. Others fled to attics. More than 850 people were rescued in the first 36 hours.
President Donald Trump signed a major disaster declaration for Kerr County on Sunday, allowing federal assistance.
“These families are enduring an unimaginable tragedy,” he wrote on social media.
Governor Greg Abbott declared Sunday a day of prayer, and said search teams would work around the clock. “We will not stop until everyone is found,” Sheriff Leitha added.
Families were allowed to return to the camp on Sunday to recover belongings and search for their loved ones. Some broke down in tears as they walked through wreckage and empty cabins. One girl was seen holding a camp bell. Another family drove away in silence with a teenage girl crying by the window.
Texas resident Ilda Mendoza said they went to help.
“I've driven down from Hunt and it's the most horrific. As soon as we saw how horrible it was, it is….we kind of knew there is probably not going to be….there weren't going to be survivors. It's it's just been difficult. It is, it's really hard to to go through the river and trying to find anything, explained Ilda."
Jeffrey Beris is also one of the rescue volunteers trying to find any of the missing people washed away by the strong flood waters.
“The father was found yesterday and the team found two kids too downstream. And so we're just, we're just scouting the area, both sides of (the) riverbed. We found an article of clothing from the mother and we were tracking and tracing opposite sides of (the) riverbed,” said Jeffrey.
In Rome, Pope Leo XIV offered condolences during his Sunday prayer.
“We pray for all the families, especially those who lost daughters at summer camp.”
Known as ‘flash flood alley’, the region is prone to such disasters. But even locals say they weren’t prepared for the speed and scale of this storm.
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