Death Toll Rises in Texas Flooding as Search for Campers Intensifies

The tragic flooding that devastated Central Texas over the July Fourth holiday continues to unfold, with at least 82 confirmed dead and emergency crews working around the clock to find the missing many of them children.

Kerr County, home to the Christian girls’ Camp Mystic, has emerged as the heart of the tragedy. Of the 68 confirmed fatalities in the county, 28 are children, including 10 girls still missing from Camp Mystic.

Among the heartbreaking stories is that of Blair and Brooke Harber, two sisters, ages 11 and 13, who were swept away in the dark of night and found 15 miles downstream clinging to one another, still holding their rosaries. Brooke's final text to her family at 3:30 a.m. simply read “I love you.”

Their father, RJ Harber, tried desperately to reach them through raging water and debris. “There were cars floating at me and trees floating at me. I knew if I took even one stroke further, it was gonna be a death sentence,” he recounted.

Another victim, Chloe Childress, a recent high school graduate and Camp Mystic counselor, was confirmed dead on Sunday. Her family remembered her as someone filled with “contagious joy, unending grace, and abiding faith.” She died while protecting the young girls she had devoted her summer to mentoring.

This disaster has stretched far beyond Kerr County:

• Travis County reported 5 deaths

• Burnet County: 3 deaths

• Williamson County: 2 deaths

• Kendall and Tom Green Counties: 1 death each

Amid the devastation, heroes have emerged. Petty Officer Scott Ruskin, a U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer on his first mission, saved 165 people in the chaos. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem praised him as an “American hero”, noting that he was the only triage coordinator at the scene.

President Donald Trump responded swiftly, issuing a Major Disaster Declaration for Kerr County and pledging full federal support. "We wanted to leave a little time. I would’ve done it today, but we’d just be in their way," Trump said of his planned visit to Texas on Friday.

This wasn’t a typical flood. The Guadalupe River rose over 30 feet in under an hour, sweeping through campgrounds and cabins during one of the state’s most popular camping weekends. Most people were caught in their sleep or while trying to evacuate in the dark.

Over 850 rescues have been carried out, but the work is far from over. As more rain threatens the region, exhausted families and first responders continue the grim task of searching for the missing and mourning those lost.

Texas is in pain but it is not alone.

Share this story to honor the victims and stay informed by subscribing to our newsletter for more updates on how real leadership is guiding this recovery effort.