What was supposed to be a carefree summer night turned into a nightmare at Camp Mystic, a cherished Christian camp for girls that's been around for over a century.
Tucked away along the Guadalupe River near Kerrville, Texas, the camp was hit by sudden, devastating flash floods in the early hours of July 4, 2025. Officials have confirmed at least 24 people dead, and around 23 girls are still unaccounted for.
A River That Rose Too Fast to Outrun
The flood wasn’t just bad, it was biblical. The Guadalupe River shot up from a manageable 7 feet to nearly 30 feet in just a few short hours, fueled by a monster storm that dumped as much rain in one night as the region usually sees in four months.
Roads buckled, homes vanished, and cell signals dropped, leaving families and first responders scrambling in the dark.
Kerr County, which sits in the heart of what experts grimly call “flash flood alley,” has seen floods before. But this one? This was on another level. Even veteran emergency crews were stunned by how fast everything happened.
Devastation at Camp Mystic, a Beloved Texas Summer Camp
Camp Mystic, which usually welcomes around 750 girls each summer, was among the hardest hit. In the middle of the night, when most of the campers, aged 7 to 16, were fast asleep, floodwaters surged through the grounds. The power went out. Communication lines snapped. Chaos set in.
Some of the survivors later described clinging to tree branches or being swept away in the current. One group of girls was found nearly five miles downstream, close to a nearby boys’ camp.
So far, search and rescue teams have pulled more than 230 people to safety. But dozens are still missing, and every hour feels heavier for families waiting for answers.
Grief, Hope, and Pleas for Help
Photos of the missing have flooded social media, as desperate parents beg for any information. Local shelters and hospitals are filled with worried families, holding onto hope while helicopters circle overhead and drones scan the waterlogged landscape.
Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick have urged residents to stay calm, but they’ve also acknowledged the county wasn’t fully prepared.
There’s no flood warning system in place here, and that oversight is now under the microscope.
National Spotlight and Federal Aid
President Donald Trump called the disaster “shocking” and “terrible,” and he promised federal support for rescue efforts. He also stressed the need to rethink emergency preparedness, especially in places where flash floods can hit without warning.
Now, many are asking: could better infrastructure have made a difference? Experts think so. The storm was extreme, sure, but with more robust warning systems in place, lives might’ve been saved.
From Celebration to Catastrophe
This was supposed to be a holiday weekend. Fireworks, laughter, camp songs under the stars. Instead, the story of Camp Mystic has become one of heartbreak and national attention.
The camp, steeped in tradition and memories for generations of Texas families, is now the center of a tragedy that’s left so many asking why and how this could happen.
For now, search teams are still out there, on foot, in boats, in the air, trying to bring people home. And as the community mourns, the rest of the country watches, hoping for one more miracle.
Officials are urging anyone with photos, videos, or information about the flood to contact local emergency services immediately. Every lead, they say, could help save a life.
