Climate Crisis Hits Home: Deadly Floods Ravage Texas Camps

In a catastrophic turn of events, flash floods swept through central Texas over the weekend, claiming the lives of at least 82 people and leaving communities shattered in their wake.

The deadliest impact was felt in Kerr County, where the Guadalupe River surged more than 26 feet in just 45 minutes before dawn on Friday. Among the hardest hit was Camp Mystic, an all-girls summer camp near Hunt, where 68 bodies have been recovered, 28 of them children. As of Sunday, 41 individuals were still unaccounted for statewide, including 10 campers and a counselor.

Families returned to Camp Mystic on Sunday to search through the waterlogged wreckage, recovering what little remained: a bell from the main building, personal belongings from crushed cabins, and soaked mattresses piled high outside ruined structures.

For some, it was a place their daughters had cherished; for others, it was the last place they had seen them alive. Despite warnings ahead of the storm, many residents and camp operators were unprepared for the ferocity of the flooding, sparking concern about emergency communication protocols and disaster readiness in this region long known as “flash flood alley,” as reported by AP.

The search for survivors and the missing continues with helicopters, boats, drones, and heavy machinery combing through tangled debris along the Guadalupe River. More than 850 people have been rescued in the first 36 hours, but officials warn that the death toll will likely rise as crews expand their search zones.

Governor Greg Abbott has pledged unwavering commitment to recovery efforts and declared a statewide day of prayer, calling on Texans to unite in grief and solidarity amid staggering loss. He announced plans to reconvene lawmakers on July 21, though it remains uncertain whether the upcoming special session will address flood-related legislation. Those discussions may be deferred to a later session. When asked whether a previously failed bill—aimed at helping local governments acquire emergency communication tools such as sirens—might be revived, Abbott responded, “It’s going to be something that will be looked at (in the special session).”

The disaster has drawn attention from national and international figures, including President Donald Trump, who signed a major disaster declaration and vowed federal aid for Kerr County. Pope Leo XIV, speaking from the Vatican, offered condolences specifically to the families of the girls who died at camp. Meanwhile, questions are mounting over the effectiveness of early warning systems and whether local authorities had sufficient resources to act on the alerts issued by the National Weather Service. 

Trump said he would likely visit Friday. “I would have done it today, but we’d just be in their way,” he told reporters before boarding Air Force One back to Washington after spending the weekend at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. “It’s a horrible thing that took place, absolutely horrible.”

In towns like Hunt and Kerrville, where century-old youth camps line the riverbanks and generations of families return each summer, the tragedy is personal and profound. The storm came at night, catching even the most watchful by surprise.