Texas Floods: Death Toll & Missing Persons – Update

Hill Country Flood Death Toll Climbs to 109, Search for Missing Continues

The search for 161 missing individuals in Kerr County, Texas, continues as the death toll from the devastating July 4th Hill Country flood reaches 109, according to an update from Governor Greg Abbott on Tuesday. Authorities vow to continue the search until all those unaccounted for are found.

Devastating Toll and Ongoing Search Efforts

Governor Abbott, who toured the impacted areas on Tuesday, stated, “We will not stop until every missing person is accounted for.” The rising death toll makes this flood one of the deadliest natural disasters in Texas history, second only to the 1921 San Antonio flood which claimed 215 lives. The current number of fatalities already surpasses the total flood-related deaths recorded across the entire United States in the past two years combined.

Among those missing are five children and a counselor from Camp Mystic, a well-known Christian retreat for girls, along with one additional child not affiliated with the camp. Twelve other individuals remain missing throughout the state. Until Tuesday, the reported number of missing persons stood at 25, highlighting the rapidly evolving nature of the crisis.

First responders are facing significant challenges, including navigating rugged terrain across a 60-mile area, and dealing with false reports and prank calls. “It’s extremely treacherous,” said Ben Baker of the Texas Game Wardens, explaining that search teams are meticulously working “layer by layer” to recover remains. Tanner Jacobs, part of a recovery strike team, noted that the initial pace of body recovery has slowed, suggesting that victims may be trapped beneath extensive debris.

Impact on Communities and Camp Mystic

The flood has resulted in confirmed deaths in multiple counties: at least seven in Travis County, six in Kendall County, three in Burnet County, two in Williamson County, and one in Tom Green County. The tragedy has deeply impacted Camp Mystic, where 27 campers and counselors, including the camp’s director, Richard “Dick” Eastland, have died.

Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr. expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support received from nearly 1,000 first responders and volunteers who have converged on the city. “These are not just guys with a pickup and a chainsaw,” Herring said. “They are trained professionals who are here doing a grim job.”

Political Response and Calls for Action

Governor Abbott announced the formation of state House and Senate committees to investigate potential solutions and preventative measures, with discussions expected to begin ahead of the special legislative session starting July 21. When questioned about assigning blame, Abbott dismissed the idea as “the word choice of losers,” emphasizing a focus on solutions. “The way winners talk is not to point fingers, they talk about solutions. What Texas is all about is solutions,” he added.

President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit the region on Friday to assess the damage, which is estimated to range between $18 billion and $22 billion in destruction and economic losses.

Warning Systems and Future Prevention

The disaster has sparked a debate regarding the adequacy of warning systems in the region. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick stated that “there should have been sirens here,” referencing systems similar to those used in Israel. Concerns have been raised about the cost of implementing such systems, with Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly previously noting that “taxpayers won’t pay for it.” Patrick has called on the state to fund the installation of sirens by next summer.

State Senator Paul Bettencourt intends to introduce legislation to create a system of alert sirens for flash flood-prone river valleys, combining “old-tech” and “new-tech” solutions. The National Weather Service has defended its forecasts, with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stating that meteorologists “executed timely and precise forecasts and warnings.”

Camp Mystic had a disaster plan in place, including procedures for flooding, according to a state inspection conducted just two days before the disaster. However, the Department of State Health Services only verifies the existence of a plan, not its effectiveness, and does not retain copies of these plans. The extent to which Camp Mystic’s plan was communicated to campers remains unclear.