Death Toll From Texas Flooding Climbs to 119

The majority of those deaths, 95, have been reported in Kerr County, including 36 children.

Published: 7/9/2025, 5:44:00 PM EDT

Death Toll From Texas Flooding Climbs to 119 — A vehicle drives through a road flooded by the waters of the Guadalupe River, in Hunt, Texas, on July 9, 2025. (Umit Bektas/Reuters)

The number of people killed since the flash floods hit central Texas on July 4 has climbed to 119, officials said Wednesday.

The majority of those deaths, 95, have been reported in Kerr County, including 36 children, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said during a press conference.

Also on Wednesday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered flags in the state to half-staff until sunrise on July 14 to honor those who have died.

“In heartfelt remembrance of those whose lives were tragically lost in the recent floods, I ordered Texas flags across the state to be lowered to half-staff,” Abbott wrote in a statement. “Cecilia and I continue to pray for their loved ones as they grieve this unimaginable loss and urge all Texans to continue praying for all impacted by this devastation. Texas stands united in mourning and in our resolve to support those who strive to heal and recover. May God bring comfort to every family affected and strength to the thousands of first responders still working on the ground.”

More than 170 people remained missing across the state as of Thursday.

The floods are now the deadliest from inland flooding in the United States since 1976, when Colorado’s Big Thompson Canyon flooded, killing 144 people, according to Yale Climate Connections meteorologist Bob Henson.

The intense downpour was the equivalent of a month’s worth of rain for the area, officials said.

In the early hours of July 4, heavy flooding from intense rainfall suddenly hit Texas Hill Country, about 85 miles northwest of San Antonio.

Water quickly surged from the Guadalupe River in the early morning hours, rising 26 feet in just 45 minutes.

Among the hardest-hit areas in Texas was Camp Mystic, a century-old Christian girls' camp located on the river bend near the small town of Hunt in Texas Hill Country.

At least 27 campers and counselors were killed, the camp confirmed.

Five campers and one counselor are still missing, officials said during Wednesday's press conference.

Officials continue to be pressed about whether warning systems could have been issued sooner.

"Bear with me," the sheriff told the media, vowing that the timing of those systems will be "looked into."

He declined to offer a timeline on that investigation, adding that the priority right now is searching for victims.

Democrats in Washington have called for an official investigation into whether the Trump administration's job cuts at the National Weather Service affected the agency's response to the floods, while Republicans have accused Democrats of politicizing the natural disaster.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania announced they will visit Texas on Friday in the wake of the deadly floods.

"We continue to keep everyone facing unimaginable heartbreak in our thoughts and prayers and wish them strength and resilience during this challenging time," the first lady's office said in a statement on X.

Trump sent federal resources to the area in response to the catastrophic flooding, signing a Major Disaster Declaration for the area on July 6.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem activated the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Coast Guard to help local and state officials deal with the disaster.

Reuters contributed to this report.