Governor warns fatalities could top 200 as families scour flood-hit camps for loved ones

Central Texas remains submerged in grief and ruin after devastating July Fourth weekend floods killed at least 109 people and left 161 more missing, in what officials are calling one of the deadliest natural disasters in the region’s modern history.

The catastrophe unfolded over 72 terrifying hours, as relentless storms battered the Hill Country, sending the Guadalupe River surging past historic levels. Families enjoying holiday weekends at campsites, riverbanks, and small towns stood little chance when the waters roared through in the dead of night.

At Camp Mystic, a beloved girls’ summer camp along the Guadalupe, rescuers and grieving families searched through mud-slicked cabins and shattered trees for any trace of the missing. On Monday, volunteers picked through piles of personal items: sodden sleeping bags, sandals, and family photos.

“We still don’t know where my daughter is,” said Melissa Hart, whose 14-year-old went missing during the camp’s evacuation. “They had no time. No warning. Nothing.”

Governor Greg Abbott, in a Tuesday evening press conference, confirmed the staggering toll: 109 dead, 161 missing. “This may become the most lethal flood Texas has seen in over 50 years,” he said. “And we fear that number may rise.”

Hundreds remain injured, and thousands have been displaced. Entire towns—including Hunt, Kerrville, and Junction—face total infrastructure collapse. Roads are gone, bridges washed out, power lines down. More than 60,000 remain without electricity across the flood zone.

Despite the scale of the disaster, many residents and critics say the state failed to provide adequate warning. No flash flood alerts reached them in time, and local emergency response systems buckled under the strain.

“This is Hurricane Harvey all over again,” said Manuel Cortez, whose sister’s home was swept away in Kerrville. “No one in charge, no one warned us, and no one’s answering now.”

On social media, anger erupted against Governor Abbott and Texas’s Republican leadership. Thousands of posts accuse officials of failing to invest in flood prevention infrastructure, with some users calling for resignations. Comparisons to the botched response during Hurricane Harvey in 2017 have been widespread.

Emergency services, joined by National Guard troops and federal responders, continue the round-the-clock search for survivors. Drones, sonar, cadaver dogs, and infrared cameras are scanning submerged areas as hope dwindles with every passing hour.

Hospitals in the region are overwhelmed, with many treating life-threatening injuries, exposure, and psychological trauma. Mobile morgues have been set up in several towns to handle the rising death toll.

The floodwaters have also unleashed environmental concerns. Contaminated runoff, downed oil tanks, and ruptured sewage systems threaten to poison drinking water supplies.

President Donald Trump has declared a major federal disaster, unlocking emergency aid and pledging “every available resource” to the state.

Yet with more storms forecast for the week and rivers still bloated, the recovery is just beginning. Experts estimate damages could exceed $15 billion.

“This is Texas’s Katrina,” said climate researcher Dr. Ava Mahmoud. “Climate volatility is accelerating, and without preparation, we’ll keep watching history repeat with more bodies.”

The heartbreak continues to mount as the list of the missing grows longer, each name a life suspended in uncertainty.

Tonight, candlelight vigils flicker along riverbanks, and anguished families pray for miracles. But for many in Central Texas, the flood has already stolen everything