Texas Floods: Death Toll Surpasses Hurricane Harvey

At least 109 people have died and 161 remain missing following catastrophic floods in central Texas, according to Governor Greg Abbott. The death toll now exceeds the 103 lives lost during Hurricane Harvey in 2017. The hardest-hit area is Kerr County, where 87 deaths have been reported, including at least 27 from Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp. Rescuers are still searching for five girls who remain unaccounted for.
Abbott, who conducted a helicopter tour of the disaster zone, emphasized the ongoing search efforts, stating, “We will not stop until every missing person is accounted for.” He stressed that the updated missing count is based on reports from friends, neighbors, and family.
Sgt. Jonathan Lamb of the Kerrville Police Department reported that no one has been found alive in Kerr County since Friday. As crews continue to sift through debris, Lamb acknowledged the growing difficulty of maintaining optimism, describing the mission as focused on reunifying families with their missing loved ones.
The governor compared the situation to a football game, saying, “The losing teams are the ones that try to point out who’s to blame. The championship teams are the ones that say, ‘Don’t worry, ma’am, we’ve got this.’”
Efforts to recover and reunite families remain the priority as the death toll surpasses that of Hurricane Harvey.

Published: 7/9/2025