By Kathleen Magramo, Karina Tsui, Diego Mendoza, Alaa Elassar, Rebekah Riess, Hanna Park, Lauren Mascarenhas, Chris Boyette, Maureen Chowdhury, Danya Gainor and Amanda Musa, CNN
Updated 5:41 PM EDT, Sun July 6, 2025
Here's the latest
• Rising death toll: At least 80 people have died in connection with the flash floods that struck central Texas early Friday, according to officials. The toll includes at least 28 children in Kerr County, where 10 girls and one counselor are still missing from Camp Mystic, authorities said.
• Flood threat remains: Gov. Greg Abbott said flash flooding still poses a danger for parts of the state, with more rain on the way in several areas. Officials are urging people in Hunt, a community in Kerr County, to move to higher ground this afternoon because of potential flooding.
• Hoping for a miracle: Search and rescue efforts continue, even as authorities acknowledge the likelihood of finding survivors decreases as time passes. “It is my hope that miracles still happen,” Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick told NBC today.
• Federal response: FEMA has been activated in Texas after President Donald Trump signed a major disaster declaration for the state.
• For ways to help those affected by floods in central Texas, visit CNN Impact Your World.
Trump vows continued federal support for Texas and says he will "probably" visit the state Friday
President Donald Trump vowed continued federal support for Texas after devastating floods left scores dead and said he will “probably” visit the state on Friday.
Trump said his administration, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, was working closely with state and local officials.
“So we say, God bless all of the people that have gone through so much, and God bless, God bless the state of Texas,” Trump said.
On FEMA: Asked about his plans to phase out the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Trump said it was a matter for another time.
“FEMA is something we can talk about later, but right now, they’re busy working, so we’ll leave it at that,” he said.
Trump said he expected to visit Texas on Friday.
Kerr County discussed establishing flood warning system 9 years ago
Records show officials in Kerr County, Texas, previously considered funding an early warning system with emergency sirens to better alert residents about floods but that effort apparently never came to fruition before recent deadly floods struck.
In a 2016 meeting, a county commissioner described a plan to examine how to enhance Kerr County’s flood warning system. The following month, the same commissioner said the county was “probably the highest risk area in the state for flooding” and described the county’s warning system at the time as “pretty antiquated” and “marginal at the best.”
In 2018, local officials discussed how their application for a warning-system grant had not been accepted but described efforts to apply for other state funds, meeting minutes show.
Again in 2021, meeting minutes show how county commissioners discussed possibly allocating funds for a flood warning system that specifically included sirens. An engineer said a county commissioner had “identified” $50,000 for the system.
But the county’s top elected official has said the county does not have such a system.
“We do not have a warning system,” Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said at a news conference Friday.
CNN has reached out to Kerr County officials to comment on why it never implemented an enhanced flood warning system with sirens.
Since Friday’s flooding, local residents have launched a petition for such a system.
Local reporting shows emergency sirens were activated elsewhere on Friday, though the extent to which that would have made a difference in Kerr County is unclear.
Several inches of rain possible in Kerrville region Sunday
The risk of flash flooding Sunday evening has increased in the Texas region that was hard-hit by Friday’s storms.
Scattered thunderstorms are ongoing in the same region that flooded Friday morning. Several inches of rain, possibly 4 inches or more, could fall in the storms through nightfall.
Storms are expected to taper off after dark.
The death toll across central Texas has reached at least 80
Local officials in several Texas counties have now confirmed a total of 80 fatalities in connection with the flooding.
Among those deceased in Kerr County are 40 adults and 28 children, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said Sunday.
The death toll includes:
- 68 deaths in Kerr County
- 5 deaths in Travis County
- 3 deaths in Burnet County
- 2 death in Kendall County
- 1 death in Tom Green County
- 1 death in Williamson County
10 campers and 1 counselor remain missing from Camp Mystic, sheriff says
Sheriff Larry Leitha of Kerr County, Texas, said 10 Camp Mystic girls and one counselor remain missing as of this afternoon.
“At present there are 10 Camp Mystic campers unaccounted for and one counselor,” Leitha said at a news conference.
At an earlier news conference, officials said 11 campers and one counselor were missing from the Christian all-girls camp. Leitha said search and rescue efforts are still underway.
Military drones search for those missing amid Texas flooding
Texas Air National Guardsmen are using remotely piloted military drones to help in the search for people who are missing after flash floods hit central Texas early Friday.
“The 147th Attack Wing are using MQ-9 drones for critical search and rescue missions today,” the Texas National Guard said in an X post Sunday.
“The unarmed MQ-9 Reaper Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA), has tremendous technological capabilities to gather high-resolution imagery and assess the impact of flooding in surrounding areas,” the post said.
The unmanned drones are, typically used by the military to conduct surveillance, are being launched from a Texas military base in Houston, a National Guard official said at a news conference Sunday.
The Federal Aviation Administration has cleared a specialized flight route across Texas airspace for the drones to make the voyage to conduct surveillance over the flooded Hill Country area, the official said.
Officials in Hunt urge CNN teams, others to get to higher ground
Emergency officials in Hunt, an unincorporated community in western Kerr County, Texas, are urging CNN teams and others in the area to seek higher ground due to the potential for incoming floods.
DPS aircraft are monitoring for unconfirmed reports of a water wall in the area, W. Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, said at a Sunday news conference.
CNN staff received an emergency alert on their phones declaring “high confidence” of river flooding and urging people to move to higher ground.
“People in the reported areas … we’re asking them to get out of the water and out of the way so we don’t wind up having to do additional rescues,” Kidd said.
Eleven girls and one counselor are still missing from Camp Mystic, officials previously said, which is nestled in Hunt along the Guadalupe River.
“It’s not gonna take the same amount of rain that caused this damage to make the current water levels rise up because the ground is already saturated, so any rain that falls can be perceived as life-threatening rain,” Kidd said.
Highway 39 from Hunt to Ingram, Texas, was inundated with cars as CNN teams and others worked to evacuate.
Search and rescue operations for "live victims" still ongoing amid recovery efforts, official says
An emergency management official cautioned reporters in how to use the term recovery as search and rescue operations continue across central Texas for “live victims”
“We continue with our search, not only in Kerr County but everywhere that we know we have missing people,” said Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management. “I need your help in being very cautious. Let’s not get wrapped around the axle on the word recovery,” the official said.
“You’re going to start hearing the word ‘recovery’ used in a lot of different context, be very careful you use that word ‘cause I’m going to be careful how I use that word as well,” Kidd said.
Recovery operations will begin, which means, “debris cleanup, that is, opening roads,” Kidd said. “That (does) not mean we are no longer doing search for live victims because we still are.”
Search and rescue crews are still out there with hope and are “very much fueled by the compassion that we show for these families that we’re doing everything we can to find their missing loved ones,” Kidd said. “So please help me in making sure that we’re not wasting our time and efforts on debating over the meanings of words, let’s get clarity when we ask those questions.”
Abbott says flash flooding threat remains for some regions of Texas with more heavy rain expected
Gov. Greg Abbott said Sunday that flash flooding could still pose a danger for some regions of Texas over the next few days as “more heavy rainfall” is expected.
Heavy rainfall could lead to flash flooding in the Big Country, Concho Valley, Central Texas and again in Kerrville, the governor said during a news conference.
He said there’s “nothing expected at this time to the magnitude of what was seen in Kerrville,” but noted the threat still remains.
Kerrville remains a priority despite focus broadening to other parts of state, Texas governor says
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the state is now broadening its efforts as more storms are expected within the next 24 to 48 hours but emphasized Kerrville remains a priority.
“We’re in Austin today as opposed to Kerrville because of deadly storms have swept across central Texas and areas outside of the Kerrville area and because of more expected storms that will pose life-threatening danger over the next 24 to 48 hours,” Abbott said during a Sunday afternoon news conference.
He added, “I want to emphasize, however, even though we now are broadening the area that we’re focused on, we are not at all reducing our focus on Kerrville.”
Abbott said the city remains “a key focus in so many different ways. We continue 24/7 operations to search for anybody who was affected by that deadly storm,” he said, adding state and federal resources are still assets available to Kerrville.
At least 41 missing due to flash flooding, Gov. Abbott says
At least 41 people are missing in connection with the flash floods that struck central Texas early Friday, according to Gov. Greg Abbott.
“Across the state, in all the areas affected by flooding, there are 41 known missing,” Abbott said during a news conference Sunday afternoon.
Friends and family of those with confirmed information about a missing loved one are asked to contact local authorities, Abbott said, but noted any calls made based on unconfirmed information could slow down the search and rescue process.
“If you’re doing that, you’re interrupting official business, and that could be potentially illegal,” Abbott said. “Call only if you have specific information.”
T-shirts from local summer camps line the Guadalupe River
Along the Guadalupe River in central Texas, where devastating floods killed at least 68 people and 11 girls from a local summer camp are still unaccounted for, search teams have been finding kids’ T-shirts that washed away in the storm.
The rescuers have been laying the shirts out to dry and be seen.
On the ground: Local mini marts and residents are doing their part to support rescue crews
At a mini mart in Center Point, Texas, a sign at the cash register informs first responders that ice, drinks, and deli food are free for the police, firefighters and other officials that are part of the search and rescue teams.
One of the store employees tells CNN they couponed out $1,000 yesterday, and that mini marts across this area are all doing the same thing.
Down the street from the store, Casey White and his team from Martin County, Texas, worked through the night to prepare food in the San Angelo area. They brought it over to Center Point to distribute.
It’s a team effort that started with White, his cousin and his friend, but, “it’s growing it’s growing every minute,” and, “now we have like 20 people here helping,” White said.
People have been dropping off more food and donations, and the group has served about 250 people today and expects to stay until dark.
The team has a grill going in the back of a truck, cooking and serving pulled pork, brisket, sausage, and pasta salad along with drinks. They are waving signs up to cars that say, “Jesus is Alive,” and, “Free Food and Water.”
At one point, a fire truck that drove by honked at the team serving food, prompting cheers from the group.
1 death reported in Williamson County, Texas, bringing statewide toll to at least 68
One person has died in Williamson County, Texas, after this weekend’s flash floods, according to local officials.
County Judge Steven Snell said search efforts continue for two missing people in the county, which is north of Austin. Officials are beginning to shift into recovery mode and are planning to formally assess the damage to the region, Snell added.
Officials in several Texas counties have now confirmed a total of 68 deaths in connection with the flooding.
They include:
• 59 deaths in Kerr County
• 4 deaths in Travis County
• 3 deaths in Burnet County
• 1 death in Kendall County
• 1 death in Williamson County
Former President Bush says he's "heartbroken" by Texas flooding deaths
Former President George W. Bush said in a statement on Sunday he and his wife are “heartbroken by the loss of life and the agony so many are feeling.”
“Those who have lost their precious children are facing a grief no parents should ever know,” Bush, who served as Texas governor before his presidency, said in a statement. “We are grateful to the first responders and volunteers who are working to find the missing and comfort the grieving at Camp Mystic and along the Guadalupe.”
Former First Lady Laura Bush used to be a counselor at Camp Mystic, a spokesperson for the couple, Freddy Ford, confirmed on Sunday.
Former President Barack Obama said in a statement he and his wife, Michelle, “are praying for everyone who has lost a loved one or is waiting for news — especially the parents.”
Rescue volunteers and workers hold out hope they will find survivors in Hunt, Texas
Search and rescue operations continue in Hunt, Texas, as volunteers say they remain hopeful that they will be able to recover survivors despite authorities saying the likelihood deceases as time passes.
“Obviously, we’d love to recover survivors, certainly. That’s our hope. But if the contrary occurs, we’re prepared for that,” Brooks Holzhausen, a volunteer member of the group 300 Justice, told CNN.
Watch as floodwaters took over part of Center Point, Texas, in just under 40 minutes
A Center Point, Texas, resident captured a video that shows how quickly floodwaters took over the area in just under 40 minutes.
Gavin Walston told CNN he began filming around 7:10 a.m. local time and let the camera roll to show what was unfolding.
The video starts out by showing water from the Guadalupe River quickly flowing in from around the corner and rushing into the area.
The loud rush of the waters can be heard along with the cracking of trees nearby.
As the flow of water continues, the piles of debris can be seen in larger amounts as tree trunks and branches float along the river.
Within just a few minutes the area, which was nearly barren before, is completely overtaken by the rushing waters.
At one point the flow begins to overtake the bridge, sending debris and water onto the roadway as cars drive by. Eventually local authorities arrive and urge those on the bridge to get off.
About 34 minutes into filming, a house can be seen floating down the river and toward the bridge.
It eventually comes into contact with a tree and pile of debris. Windows can be heard shattering as it becomes lodged against the bridge as water flows by.
Walston told CNN the house was empty at the time but he saw a cat clinging to a screen door window. He could not confirm whether the cat was able to exit the house as he left the area, as advised by local authorities.
Volunteers scour Texas riverbanks for missing, clinging to hope
Hundreds of volunteers combed the banks of a tributary of the Guadalupe River on Sunday, searching for those still missing after deadly flooding struck Kerr County, Texas, on Friday.
Authorities acknowledge that the likelihood of finding survivors decreases as time passes, but community members remain determined, hoping to at least provide closure for those still missing loved ones.
“You’re searching for something you hope you don’t find,” said Fred Hernandez. “But at the same time, if you’ve got family members that are missing, you hope there are people out there looking.”
Searching through difficult terrain and debris can be difficult, Hernandez noted.
“It’s obviously an unorganized mess,” he said.
Sharra Loveladay told CNN that in her 34 years living in the community, she has received flash flood warnings but has never seen anything close to the devastation of this weekend.
Lovelady said it was important for her to join the search effort. She personally knows a 26-year-old who is missing, around the same age as her own children. Among the missing and dead are “pillars of the community,” whose loss will impact many people, she noted.
Joseph Eisenbach, a rancher from Central Texas, brought a couple of horses to assist in the search. He said the horses help cover more ground as they look.
“If it was my babies, I would want somebody looking, so that’s why I’m here,” he said.
Elizabeth Schumacher searched on horseback alongside Eisenbach. She told CNN it has been an emotionally charged day.
She said seeing personal belongings — like boots, clothes, and furniture — scattered across the terrain has been difficult to take in.
“You know somebody’s whole life just was swept away, and hopefully not them as well, but you have to be aware that that’s also happening,” she said.
Like the other volunteers, she knows she is searching for something no one wants to find.
“Do I necessarily want that person to be me who finds them? Maybe not. I’m not that brave. But I hope we do find them, because I can’t imagine not knowing what happened,” she said.
Watch: Meet one of the men aiding in the massive search effort following Texas floods
Volunteers are searching for missing people after flash flooding along the Guadalupe River swept through parts of central Texas.
Ryan Logue, a Kerrville, Texas, native, told CNN’s Isabel Rosales one of the challenges volunteers face is the sheer expanse of land and water that needs to be covered.
Watch a portion of the interview below:
What it's like today outside Camp Mystic on third day of search operations
Under rain and thunderstorms, search and rescue efforts have continued in earnest today in Hunt, Texas, outside Camp Mystic, the summer camp where 11 girls and one counselor are still missing following this weekend’s flash floods.
State and local law enforcement are working alongside volunteers to search through debris along the Guadalupe River. Uniformed officers are guiding K-9s to look through brush around the camp and water’s edge, while volunteers use chainsaws to cut apart trees.
Wearing a medical boot, Brooks Holzhausen of San Antonio worked with others from his group 300 Justice to clear the brush.
It’s hard work, not only physically but emotionally for an area close to his family.
Holzhausen said his daughters are heartbroken at the news about the camp.
The video below shows some of the scenes from today’s operations:
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