As floodwaters surged through Texas’ Hill Country overnight, desperate parents turned to social media on Friday, posting photos and pleas for help as more than 20 girls from an all-girls summer camp remained unaccounted for.
The torrential downpour—equivalent to several months of rain falling in just hours—led to catastrophic flooding in south-central Texas, killing at least 13 people and leaving dozens missing, according to Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha.
The area, home to century-old summer camps that attract thousands of children each year, was among the hardest hit.
23 Campers Missing from Camp Mystic
Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick confirmed Friday afternoon that approximately 23 girls attending Camp Mystic—a Christian summer camp along the Guadalupe River in Hunt—were still missing. Search teams mobilized helicopters, boats, and drones to navigate the fast-moving floodwaters and debris-strewn terrain.
“I’m asking the people of Texas—do some serious praying this afternoon. On-your-knees kind of praying—that we find these young girls,” Patrick said.
Social media groups flooded with anxious messages from families who received phone calls from emergency officials stating their daughters had not yet been found. Some waited in anguish for updates, clinging to the hope that their children would be airlifted out safely.
Nine rescue teams, 14 helicopters, and 12 drones are being used in ongoing operations, according to state officials.
Heartbreaking Scenes at Reunification Center
At an elementary school in nearby Ingram—set up as a reunification site—families gathered by the dozens, scanning bus after bus for familiar faces. One young camper, dressed in her Camp Mystic shirt, sobbed in her mother’s arms, soaked to the skin and trembling as she watched other children disembark.
Camp Mystic reassured families via email that if they had not been contacted directly, their child had been accounted for. There were approximately 750 campers on site, according to officials.
Camps Cut Off, Infrastructure Destroyed
Camp leaders said they were currently without electricity, running water, or Wi-Fi. The main road into the camp had been washed away, making access nearly impossible. Austin Dickson, CEO of the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, called the region “flash flood alley.”
“When it rains, water doesn’t soak into the soil,” he explained. “It rushes down the hill.”
While Camp Mystic bore the brunt of the flood’s impact, two other nearby camps—Camp Waldemar and Camp La Junta—confirmed via Instagram that all of their campers and staff were safe.
The tragedy has sparked an outpouring of support, with local nonprofits launching relief efforts and families clinging to hope as the search continues.
“We just want our girls home,” one mother said through tears. “We just want to know they’re safe.”
