At least 51 people, including 15 children, have died after flash floods swept through central Texas, authorities confirmed on Saturday as rescuers continued the urgent search for campers, vacationers and residents.
Officials warned the death toll is likely to rise, with flooding affecting areas beyond the main disaster zone in Kerr County.
In Travis County, authorities confirmed four deaths and said 13 people remain unaccounted for. One additional death was reported in Kendall County.
The total number of fatalities remains unclear, with some news outlets reporting it as high as 52 – though this figure has not been officially confirmed.
Officials have said over 850 people had been rescued, some by clinging to trees, after an unexpected storm saw about 15 inches of rain rising around the Guadalupe River, roughly 85 miles northwest of San Antonio.
Among the missing were 27 girls from the Camp Mustic summer camp, Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said on Saturday evening.
He said there may be others beyond the 27, but “we will not put a number on the other side because we just don't know."
The disaster developed quickly on Friday morning, as the unexpected downpour quickly saw river levels rising as high as 29 feet.
"We know that the rivers rise, but nobody saw this coming," said Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, the top local official in the area.
Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said 17 of the confirmed dead, including five children, remain unidentified.
The National Weather Service said the flash flood emergency is largely over for Kerr County, after thunderstorms saw half the amount of rain the region typically sees in a year. A flood watch was in effect until 7pm for the surrounding area.
Kerr County is part of Texas Hill County, a rural area known for rugged terrain, historic towns and attractions for tourists.
Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick said an unknown number of visitors had come to the area to celebrate Independence Day by the river.
