Death Toll Climbs to 59 as Massive Search Continues for Missing Kerr County Flood Victims

The death toll from catastrophic flooding in Kerr County rose to 59 Sunday as more than 400 first responders from over 20 agencies continued searching for survivors along the Guadalupe River, where 11 Camp Mystic campers and one counselor remain missing.

Sheriff Larry Leitha said at a 10 a.m. press conference that 38 adults and 21 children have been confirmed dead, with 18 adults and four children still pending identification. The numbers continue climbing as search teams work around the clock in what has become one of the deadliest natural disasters in Texas history.

“Numbers are continuously changing and increasing,” Leitha said. “We have over 400 first responders from more than 20 agencies working in Kerr County.”

The massive operation includes more than a dozen K-9 units working in and near the river and over 100 air, water and ground vehicles deployed across the disaster zone. Search operations that began at 6 a.m. Sunday are progressing from west to east along challenging riverbanks where floodwaters reached unprecedented levels Friday morning.

Extensive Recovery Operations

Bodies are being recovered “all over up and down” the operational area, which has been divided into grids for systematic searching, Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice confirmed. A massive operation is underway in Center Point, where sources on the ground confirmed additional bodies have been recovered.

Volunteer-led search teams are also working along the south bank of the Guadalupe River below Flat Rock Lake Dam as the community mobilizes to assist professional rescue crews.

Rice urged the public to stop flying personal drones, warning they pose dangers to aircraft and risk disrupting ongoing operations. Official drones and other assets are already deployed throughout the search area.

Community Response

Mayor Joe Herring Jr. described the coordinated response as “one team” involving city staff, county personnel and state and federal agencies working together to “rescue those in peril and find those who are lost.”

The entire Kerrville City Council is on site coordinating relief efforts. Herring referenced Fred Rogers in highlighting the “helpers” responding to the disaster and introduced the hashtag #kerrvilleunited to rally community support.

World Central Kitchen, coordinating with the Salvation Army, is leading a massive effort to provide meals to first responders, with local restaurants contributing to the effort.

How to Help

Families with missing loved ones can call the missing person call center at 830-258-1111. Officials advised the public to follow the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office and City of Kerrville Facebook pages for updates.

Volunteers can register at tcr.mcommunityos.org or call 830-465-4794. The Salvation Army’s Kerrville branch has been designated as the official partner for volunteer coordination and in-kind donations at 830-465-4797.

Donations to affected families can be made through the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, which has established a relief portal.

Ongoing Challenges

The disaster began Friday morning when unprecedented rainfall caused the Guadalupe River to rise more than 20 feet in less than two hours. The flooding destroyed infrastructure, displaced hundreds of residents and caught many victims by surprise during the early morning hours of the July 4 holiday.

Gov. Greg Abbott signed a disaster declaration Friday covering nine counties and providing unlimited state resources for the response. The search area extends along a 30-mile stretch of the Guadalupe River where water reached levels not seen since records began.

Officials said they will continue search and rescue operations until every missing person is found. Daily press conferences are scheduled for 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to provide updates on the ongoing operation.

Kerr County, located 65 miles northwest of San Antonio in the Texas Hill Country, has a population of about 52,600. The region’s steep terrain and narrow valleys make it particularly vulnerable to flash flooding during heavy rainfall events.