At least 161 people remain missing in Kerr County, Texas, four days after devastating flash floods swept through the region, Governor Greg Abbott said Tuesday, as hopes of finding survivors diminish. The catastrophe, which struck during the July Fourth holiday, has so far claimed at least 109 lives statewide, with 94 confirmed dead in the Kerrville area alone.
Among the missing are five campers and a counselor from Camp Mystic, a Christian all-girls summer camp located along the banks of the swollen Guadalupe River. The camp previously confirmed that at least 27 of its girls and staff were among the dead.
Rescue operations continue on an unprecedented scale. “We will not stop until every missing person is accounted for,” Governor Abbott vowed during a news conference after surveying the destruction. He warned that the number of missing may rise further and urged residents to report any unaccounted-for individuals.
More than 250 personnel from various agencies, including the National Guard, FBI, and Border Patrol, have been deployed to the area. Thirteen Black Hawk helicopters, including four flown in from Arkansas, and reaper drones are being used to aid the search, according to General Thomas Suelzer of the Texas National Guard.
Volunteer rescuers on the ground described the devastation as unlike anything they’ve seen before. “This is a nightmare,” said Tim, a flood veteran. Another, Justin, likened the search to “trying to find a single hay in a haystack,” citing the overwhelming trail of debris and shortage of cadaver dogs.
Amid the rescue efforts, questions have emerged about the timing and adequacy of early flood warnings. While authorities had issued a storm alert, Abbott said they did not anticipate a “30-foot high tsunami wall of water.” Critics have raised concerns about potential delays in evacuations and the government’s readiness, especially as Trump’s previous cuts to weather agencies come under renewed scrutiny.
The governor deflected questions about responsibility, saying, “That’s the word choice of losers,” and compared the disaster response to a football team learning from mistakes without pointing fingers.
President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit the flood-ravaged areas with First Lady Melania Trump on Friday.
Meanwhile, neighboring New Mexico is facing its own flash flood crisis. The National Weather Service declared an emergency Tuesday night in Ruidoso, where a 15-foot wave on the Rio Ruidoso forced swift boat rescues and reportedly washed away homes. Some residents remain unaccounted for.
Back in Kerr County, survivors like Justin Brown are beginning the long road to recovery. Brown, who lost his home in the Blue Oak RV Park, expressed gratitude for the efforts that helped evacuate most residents. “We were one of the few parks that got almost everybody out,” he said, standing on the muddy ground where his RV once stood.
As the waters recede, the region now faces the daunting task of accounting for the missing and rebuilding shattered lives.
Written By Rodney Mbua
