The number of people missing in a Texas county hit hard by the July 4 flooding along the Guadalupe River has gone down to three. The City of Kerrville said on Facebook that the Kerr County Flood Disaster Joint Information Center was able to confirm this through “extensive follow-up work among state and local agencies.”

Right after the flooding, officials said there were more than 160 people in the area who couldn’t be accounted for. But now, “many individuals who were initially reported as missing have been verified as safe and removed from the list” of missing people in Kerr County, according to a statement posted on Facebook on Saturday, July 19.

“We are profoundly grateful to the more than 1,000 local, state and federal authorities who have worked tirelessly in the wake of the devastating flood that struck our community,” Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said in a statement. “This remarkable progress reflects countless hours of coordinated search and rescue operations, careful investigative work, and an unwavering commitment to bringing clarity and hope to families during an unimaginably difficult time.”

Floods kill at least 135 statewide

Recovery operations by local, state, national and international search teams are ongoing. In a Saturday, July 19, update, the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office said more than 1,000 first responders, as well as thousands of volunteers, are helping the Kerr County community.

“Our thoughts remain with the families still awaiting news, and we will continue to stand with them as efforts persist,” Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring, Jr. said.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said on Thursday, July 17, that at least 135 people in the state died in the floods. Most of the deaths were in Kerr County. At least 27 campers and counselors from an all-girls Christian summer camp in Hunt called Camp Mystic are among the dead.

Texas legislature to address flooding

On Monday, July 21, the Texas Legislature will begin a special session. Abbott said on X lawmakers will address “key issues for Texans, including flood preparedness and recovery.”

The Associated Press reported that this special session was originally convened for other reasons, including Abbott’s veto of a bill that banned edible hemp products with THC in them. However, Abbott said on July 9 that flood-related items had been added to the legislative agenda.

One of these items is legislation to improve early flood warning systems and other preparedness infrastructure in “flood-prone areas.” Some have questioned whether residents were alerted about the devastating flooding early enough, especially as there were forecasts of heavy rain in the days before it started. Some local officials, and even President Donald Trump, have criticized people’s focus on this, as they say it should be on the search operations.

Also on the agenda for Texas legislators are bills to strengthen flood emergency communications and response infrastructure; relief funding and local match funding for Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance; and legislation to evaluate and streamline natural disaster preparation and recovery.

Newly-created Texas House and Senate special committees on disaster preparedness and flooding are set to have a joint hearing at the state Capitol on Wednesday, July 23. Members of the committees are set to visit Kerrville for another hearing as well.

“The creation of both the House and Senate’s Select Committees on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding is just the beginning of the Legislature looking at every aspect of this tragic event,” Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said in a statement. “Right now, we must focus on the recovery of those still missing, then rebuilding communities in flooded areas. In the coming year, and into the next regular legislative session, we will gather all the facts and answer the many questions to which the public demands answers.”

Just three people remain missing — down from nearly 100 at last count — since the Texas Hill Country was pounded by massive flooding on July 4, officials said Saturday.

Officials praised rescuers for the sharp reduction in the number of people on the missing list: Just days after the catastrophic flooding, more than 160 people were said to be unaccounted for in Kerr County alone.

“This remarkable progress reflects countless hours of coordinated search and rescue operations, careful investigative work, and an unwavering commitment to bringing clarity and hope to families during an unimaginably difficult time,” Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said in a statement.

The death toll in Kerr County, 107, held steady for much of this week even as the intensive search continued.

The flash floods killed at least 135 people in Texas over the holiday weekend, with most deaths along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, about 60 miles (100 kilometers) northwest of San Antonio.

Just before daybreak on July 4, the destructive, fast-moving waters rose 26 feet (8 meters) on the Guadalupe, washing away homes and vehicles.

The floods laid waste to the Hill Country, a popular tourist destination where campers seek out spots along the river amid the rolling landscape. It is naturally prone to flash flooding because its dry, dirt-packed soil cannot soak up heavy rain.

Vacation cabins, youth camps campgrounds fill the riverbanks and hills of Kerr County, including Camp Mystic, a century-old Christian summer camp for girls. Located in a low-lying area of a region known as “flash flood alley,” Camp Mystic lost at least 27campers and counselors.

The flooding was far more severe than the 100-year event envisioned by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, experts said, and it moved so quickly in the middle of the night that it caught many off guard in a county that lacked a warning system.

In Kerrville, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) west of Austin, local officials have come under scrutiny over whether residents were adequately warned about the rising waters.

President Donald Trump and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott have pushed back aggressively against questions about how well local authorities responded to forecasts of heavy rain and the first reports of flash flooding.

Crews have been searching for victims using helicopters, boats and drones. Earlier efforts were hampered by rain forecasts, leading some crews to hold off or stop because of worries about more flooding.

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At least 135 people died in central Texas, including more than three dozen children, after strong downpours sparked flash flooding in early July.

WASHINGTON – The authorities in Texas have sharply lowered the number of people still believed missing after catastrophic flooding earlier in July, saying the search continued for three individuals in the worst-hit area of the US state.

At least 135 people died in central Texas, including more than three dozen children, after strong downpours sparked flash flooding at the beginning of the July 4 holiday weekend.

Recovery teams have been combing the banks of the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, the epicentre of the deadly flooding, hoping to find the bodies of those still missing, which last week was estimated to be near 100.

“The Kerr County Flood Disaster Joint Information Centre can confirm that three individuals remain missing at this time from the July 4 flood disaster,” the county said in a statement late on July 20.

“Extensive follow-up work” had determined that many individuals originally listed as missing had been verified as safe, it said.

“We are profoundly grateful to the more than 1,000 (members of the) local, state and federal authorities who have worked tirelessly in the wake of the devastating flood that struck our community,” said Kerrville City manager Dalton Rice.

“Thanks to their extraordinary efforts, the number of individuals previously listed as missing has dropped from over 160 to three.”

Dozens of deaths were reported in other counties, with the body of at least one person in Burnet county, a local fire chief, yet to be found.

The flooding of the Guadalupe River was particularly devastating for summer camps on its banks, including Camp Mystic, where 27 girls and counsellors died.

Number missing from Hill Country floods down to 3 Published 5:35 am Sunday, July 20, 2025

More than two weeks after catastrophic July Fourth floods along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, authorities reported Saturday that nearly all of the people who had remained on the list of missing persons have been verified as safe.

As recently as Monday, rescuers were still trying to find an estimated 101 people. But by Saturday, the official count of people missing had been lowered to three.

The officials did not give an update to the total number of people who died because of the floods. On Thursday, Gov. Greg Abbott said the statewide death toll was 135.

In a press release, the city of Kerrville wrote that many of the people missing had been located “through extensive follow-up work among state and local agencies.”

“This remarkable progress reflects countless hours of coordinated search and rescue operations, careful investigative work, and an unwavering commitment to bringing clarity and hope to families during an unimaginably difficult time,” City Manager Dalton Rice said.

Still, officials said that local, state, national and international search teams are continuing to conduct recovery operations.

Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said during a commissioners court meeting Monday that the search for missing people could take up to six months, but setting a time estimate is also difficult.

“How long is it going to take? I mean, who knows?” Leitha said.

Abbott said Monday most of those still considered missing were people who did not check into hotels or campsites. Abbott said many of those people were added to the list of people who haven’t been located after friends and family reported them missing.

“Those who are missing on this list, most of them, were more difficult to identify because there was no record of them logging in anywhere,” Abbott said.

Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, the county’s top official, said during a county commissioners court meeting earlier Monday that local officials don’t know the exact number of how many visitors who traveled to the Guadalupe for the holiday weekend had been caught in the flood.

“We don’t know how many of them there are,” Kelly said. “Don’t be discouraged when you hear that number, we’re doing the very best we can, but it is an unknown at this point.”

On Saturday, Kelly said he was grateful for the rescuers who have worked tirelessly over the past two weeks.

““To every member of law enforcement, fire and rescue, emergency management, and supporting agencies — thank you,” Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said. “Your dedication, professionalism, and compassion have brought comfort and answers to so many.”

Recovery teams have been thoroughly scouring large debris piles for any people who were swept into the Guadalupe after it swelled in the pre-dawn hours July 4 following heavy rain. Those efforts were been hindered further by continued rain and flooding in areas already impacted by the initial floods, pausing searches across the Hill Country.

The devastating flood is still one of the deadliest natural disasters in recent Texas history. The 1900 hurricane in Galveston claimed over 8,000 lives and the 1921 San Antonio floods killed 215 people.

A lower estimate in the number of people missing is not uncommon after mass casualty events. In the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster, officials try to nail down who was near scenes of disaster, identify found remains and communicate across agencies. In the wake of intense wildfires in Hawaii in 2023, the estimated number of missing people at one point peaked at 3,000 people, however ultimately the number of those killed was 102.

Initial post-disaster lags in communication have already affected flood search efforts: Travis County officials whittled down their missing persons count from 10 people to four after they realized some people were on both the lists of those missing and those who had been confirmed dead, according to a county spokesperson.

As time goes on a clearer idea of who is unaccounted for should begin to appear, said Lucy Easthope, an international adviser on disaster recovery efforts.

“Certainly, by the end of the first month, you’ve got a good idea of what you’re looking for,” Easthope said. “And sometimes in flooding, we’ve seen the Earth only yield its final death toll some months, and maybe even years, later.”

The high number of visitors to the river for the July 4 holiday may also prove another obstacle in nailing down an accurate number, as people along the river in RVs or who didn’t check in to hotels may be unaccounted for. President Donald Trump cast doubt on the true number of those still missing during his visit in Kerrville on Friday.

“They’re getting that count, but the count that they don’t have is how many are still missing, with a lot of lives, a lot of young angels,” Trump said.

This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune, a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.

Rain falls as Irene Valdez visits a make-shift memorial for flood victims along the Guadalupe River, Sunday, July 13, 2025, in Kerrville, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

AUSTIN, Texas — The number of people still missing in a Texas county ravaged by deadly flooding over the Fourth of July holiday weekend now stands at three, down from nearly 100.

The announcement Saturday by Kerr County that the list of missing has shrunk came after people who were previously reported missing have since been accounted for and as state lawmakers prepare to discuss authorities’ initial response and the possible improvements to warning systems. Flash floods killed at least 135 people in Texas over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, with most deaths along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, about 60 miles (100 kilometers) northwest of San Antonio. The Hill Country is naturally prone to flash flooding because its dry, dirt-packed soil cannot soak up heavy rain.

The Texas Legislature is scheduled to convene Monday for a special session. Gov. Greg Abbott initially called lawmakers back to the Texas State Capitol in Austin for other reasons, but he and legislative leaders have added flooding-related issues to the agenda.

At one time, state officials said about 160 people were unaccounted for after the flooding in Kerr County alone.

Kerr County officials said the number of missing people decreased as victims were recovered, contact was made with people who were found safe and some reports were found to be unsubstantiated or falsified.

The floods laid waste to the Hill Country. Vacation cabins, youth camps campgrounds fill the riverbanks and hills of Kerr County, and Camp Mystic, a century-old Christian summer camp for girls in a low-lying area along the Guadalupe. At least 27 of its campers and counselors died.

Abbott called the special session hoping legislators would pass a measure to regulate a booming business in THC products after he vetoed a bill that would have banned them. And since the flooding, President Donald Trump has told the Republicans who control state government to redraw congressional districts to help the GOP’s chances of retaining a U.S. House majority in next year’s midterm elections.

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Abbott said lawmakers would also review authorities’ handling of the flooding and consider improving warning systems for Hill Country residents. Kerr County does not have a warning system because state and local agencies missed opportunities over the past decade to finance one.

Trump and Abbott have pushed back aggressively against questions about how well local authorities responded to forecasts of heavy rain and the first reports of flash flooding. The president called a reporter “evil” for raising such issues and said he thought “everyone did an incredible job under the circumstances.” Abbott dismissed a question about who was to blame for the deaths as “the word choice of losers” and used an analogy that began: “Every football team makes mistakes.”

“The way winners talk is not to point fingers,” he concluded.

Abbott has designated bills dealing with early warning systems and emergency communications as priorities for the Legislature’s special session, scheduled to last 30 days.

The House and Senate have formed special committees on flooding and disaster preparedness, and they’re planning a July 31 visit to Kerrville, the seat of hardest-hit Kerr County, to hear comments from residents.

The committees are scheduled to begin with a joint hearing Wednesday to consider the state’s response to the fatal floods; planning for floods; infrastructure for managing floods; and communications among first responders.

One bill already introduced by Republican Rep. Don McLaughlin would require the state’s top public health official to set building standards for youth camps in 100-year floodplains — which FEMA defines as a high-risk area with a 1% chance of flooding in any given year.

During a recent news conference, Republican state Rep. Drew Darby, a member of the House’s committee, said lawmakers cannot bring back flood victims or undo the flooding.

“But what we can do is learn from it,” he said.

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Hanna reported from Topeka, Kansas. Associated Press writers Jamie Stengle in Dallas and Jim Vertuno in Austin contributed.