KERR COUNTY, Texas, July 5, 2025 (Gephardt Daily/UPI) -- At least 24 people have died, and more than 20 girl campers are missing amid deadly flooding along the Guadalupe River in central Texas.
The flooding, caused by torrential rains in Kerr County and surrounding areas west of Austin, started Thursday night and continued into Friday. By mid-morning the river rose more than 20 feet, leading to nearly 300 water rescues, many of them by helicopter.
The National Weather Service reported some areas received up to ten inches of rain within a few hours, equal to what the area receives over the course of an entire summer.
"The state of Texas is urging all available resources to respond to the devastating flooding around the Kerr County area," Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said earlier on Friday in a post on X.
"That includes water rescue teams, sheltering centers, the National Guard [and] the Texas Department of Public Safety," Abbott said. "The immediate priority is saving lives."
The Kerr County Sheriff's Office confirmed fatalities but won't release additional information until the next of kin are notified.
"The entire county is an extremely active scene," the sheriff's office posted Friday morning on social media.
"Residents are encouraged to shelter in place and not attempt travel," the KCSO post says. "Those near creeks, streams and the Guadalupe River should immediately move to higher ground."
According to CNN, President Donald Trump said late Friday his administration is working with Abbott on the response to the deadly flooding. “We’ll take care of them,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One, calling the flooding terrible and shocking.
