120 dead, nearly 200 still missing after deadly July 4 Texas floods, Abbott says
The death toll in the July 4 Texas floods stands at about 120 people, but that number is expected to grow as almost 200 people remain missing, Gov. Greg Abbott.
Of the 161 people missing in Kerr County, Abbott said, many are unaffiliated with a camp or hotel in the area and were reported missing to law enforcement. Five campers and one counselor from Camp Mystic, the Christian girls’ camp, also remain missing, along about a dozen people from other parts of the state, the governor said at a press conference Tuesday afternoon in Kerrville.
Abbott surveyed the flood damage via helicopter Tuesday with Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows.
The governor spoke on the phone with President Donald Trump on Tuesday morning, he said. Trump spoke extensively of the young girls who died at Camp Mystic and said he wanted to make sure “needs are met quickly,” Abbott said.
The president and first lady will travel to Texas on Friday to survey the damage, Trump said during a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
A disaster declaration Trump signed over the weekend ensured quick delivery of aid, Abbott said. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy plans to issue a public health emergency declaration to pave the way for additional doctors and mental health professionals to come to the area, Abbott said.
Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn said they plan to travel with Trump when he visits Texas on Friday.
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When asked how the state will respond to reported issues with emergency notifications prior to the flood, Abbott said lawmakers will address the disaster at an upcoming special session.
“The hearts of our fellow Texans are breaking every single day because of what people in this community and the surrounding area are going through,” Abbott said. “There’s nothing more important on our hearts and minds than the people impacted, especially those who are still lost. We have to find every single person who’s missing, and that’s job No. 1. Texas is in this with the people of the Hill Country. We are not leaving until the job is done.”
If you believe that someone you know is missing as a result of the Guadalupe River flooding, call 830-258-1111 or email kerrvillemissing@dps.texas.gov with their name, description and photos to assist with identification.
This story was originally published July 8, 2025 at 5:00 PM.
