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From CBS News: At least 89 people are dead and dozens are still missing after devastating flash floods slammed Texas Hill Country, with water rescues taking place along the Guadalupe River, which rose rapidly early Friday morning to the height of a two-story building. Almost a dozen are still missing from Camp Mystic in Kerr County, a children’s summer camp, officials said Sunday.
Of the fatalities so far, 75 have occurred in Kerr County, its sheriff, Larry Leitha, said at a news conference Monday morning. The dead include 48 adults and 27 children, with 15 of the adults and nine of the children unidentified. Camp Mystic, located along the river in Hunt, Texas, confirmed Monday that at least 27 campers and counselors died in the flooding.
“Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy. We are praying for them constantly,” the camp said in a statement. “We have been in communication with local and state authorities who are tirelessly deploying extensive resources to search for our missing girls. We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support from community, first responders, and officials at every level.”
At least 10 Camp Mystic campers were still missing on Sunday, along with one counselor, Leitha said. That was the first solid number officials provided regarding campers who remained unaccounted for, after previously estimating that it could be as high as 27. There were about 750 children at Camp Mystic when the floods hit, the sheriff said earlier.
Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice announced that on top of the horrifying disaster, scammers have already activate their own sick schemes, and are calling family members of missing children, claiming they have their children, and are demanding money to release them.
“It’s heartbreaking”: Scammers are calling family members of children missing after flooding in central Texas, claiming they have them and demanding money, according to City Manager Dalton Rice of Kerrville, Texas.
More: https://t.co/mo9hAhP0lL pic.twitter.com/7bz8n1EBZc
— NewsNation (@NewsNation) July 7, 2025
During the press conference Monday morning, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) spoke with emotion in his voice, and said just last week, he and his wife picked up their own daughter from the camp.
Just last week, Heidi and I were picking up our daughter from camp in Hunt, Texas.
The pain and shock of what has transpired these last few days has broken the heart of our state.
Pray for Texas. pic.twitter.com/Ku0YJVsLXM
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) July 7, 2025
Cruz described his phone call with President Trump in the aftermath of the disaster.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) describes his call to President Trump in the early hours of the deadly flooding in Texas, saying he warned the president that “this appears to be bad, really bad.”
“I will tell you, the president said: ‘Anything Texas needs, the answer is yes.'” pic.twitter.com/QV0H6Z4NsP
— CBS News (@CBSNews) July 7, 2025
WATCH the full press conference update below, which took place at 10:00 a.m. Monday morning:
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced, “DPS troopers continue recovery and rescue operations in Kerr County. They have been working day and night. We will not stop until every missing person is found.”
DPS troopers continue recovery and rescue operations in Kerr County.
They have been working day and night.
We will not stop until every missing person is found. https://t.co/yiurjV9KhI
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) July 7, 2025
READ MORE from CBS News.
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