Texas flash floods claim 15 children as dozens remain missing

Grief and fear have settled heavily over Texas Hill Country after torrential rain triggered devastating flash floods, claiming at least 51 lives so far — among them 15 children — and leaving dozens more still unaccounted for.

Much of the heartbreak centres around Camp Mystic, a private Christian summer camp for girls perched on the banks of the Guadalupe River, which rose more than 20 feet in under two hours, transforming a cherished summer haven into a frantic rescue site.

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Local officials confirm that at least 27 children are still missing from Camp Mystic. The camp, founded in 1926 and known for its mission to nurture “outstanding personal qualities and self-esteem” in girls, was teeming with campers when the river surged over its banks. Families are enduring an excruciating wait for any word on their daughters.

“I can’t imagine what these parents are going through,” said Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice. “Our primary focus remains on search and rescue — every single person. We’re going to keep at it through the night.”

More than 100 game wardens and an aviation unit battled hazardous conditions to reach the camp, finally managing to access the grounds by midday Friday and evacuate many campers to higher ground. But with the river’s unpredictable rise and debris-filled currents, the search for the missing girls has grown increasingly desperate.

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‘an incomprehensible tragedy’

Vice president JD Vance voiced the nation’s sorrow, describing the loss as “an incomprehensible tragedy.”

“Our nation’s heart breaks for the victims in Texas and their families,” he said in a statement posted Saturday on X. “I hope everyone affected knows they’re in the prayers of my family, and of millions of Americans.”

First lady Melania Trump also extended her condolences. “My heart goes out to the parents in Texas during this difficult time,” she wrote. “I am holding you in my thoughts and sending prayers for strength, comfort, and resilience.”

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The Guadalupe River’s flooding has reached its second-highest level on record, according to the National Weather Service. While families at around 18 other camps along the river have been accounted for, the devastation at Camp Mystic and other local sites is a reminder of just how swiftly nature can turn deadly.

In a separate but connected loss, the community is mourning Jane Ragsdale, the beloved camp director and co-owner of Heart O’ the Hills, another girls’ camp located near Hunt. She died when the flooding struck overnight into the Fourth of July holiday. Her camp, fortunately not in session at the time, has accounted for most of those on-site.

“Jane Ragsdale was the heart and soul of our camp,” Heart O’ the Hills said in a statement. “We are mourning the loss of a woman who influenced countless lives and was the definition of strong and powerful.”

A region on edge

The flooding’s devastation has rippled beyond summer camps. At an RV park in Kerrville, families are clinging to hope for loved ones who went missing when floodwaters engulfed the campground. Search crews are scouring the swollen Guadalupe River, determined to account for every person.

Flash floods remain the second-deadliest weather hazard in the United States after extreme heat. In regions like Texas Hill Country — with its rugged terrain and fast-draining slopes — pinpointing where flash flooding will strike can be nearly impossible.

“This is a marathon,” Rice said. “Our numbers will continue to change as we recover and identify the lost, but we must remember to look after one another.”

For now, that means communities waiting by phones for news, rescue teams working around the clock — and a nation keeping vigil with families whose summer memories have been washed away by a river that rose too fast to escape.