Texas Floods Death Toll Hits 82 As Search Continues For Missing Children

The death toll from devastating floods in Texas has reached 82, with search operations ongoing and officials facing scrutiny over evacuation failures in Kerr County.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott reported Sunday that at least 41 people remain missing statewide, three days after the flooding began. He warned that additional heavy rains expected through Tuesday could produce more life-threatening conditions.

In Kerr County, Sheriff Larry Leitha confirmed that searchers have recovered 68 bodies, including 28 children. Many of the missing went missing from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp for girls. Ten girls and one counselor remain unaccounted for, with Leitha pledging to continue searching until “everybody is found.”

President Donald Trump expressed condolences and indicated he would likely visit the area Friday. “It’s a horrible thing that took place, absolutely horrible,” he told reporters while leaving New Jersey.

The flooding occurred after the Guadalupe River overflowed following torrential rainfall in central Texas on Friday, the Independence Day holiday.

Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd reported fatalities across multiple counties: three in Burnet County, one in Tom Green County, five in Travis County, and one in Williamson County. Rescuers continue evacuating people along the river due to concerns about additional flooding as rain continues falling on already saturated soil.

Questions Over Preparedness

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was activated Sunday after Trump issued a major disaster declaration. U.S. Coast Guard helicopters and planes are assisting search and rescue efforts.

Texas Department of Public Safety Director Freeman Martin said Sunday he expected the death toll to rise in coming days.

Authorities face growing questions about warning systems and preparation adequacy in an area historically vulnerable to flooding. Several communities along the Guadalupe River were evacuated after National Weather Service warnings about rising water levels, but Kerr County residents were not alerted.

Al Jazeera’s reporting from central Texas noted the lack of explanations for why Kerr County residents weren’t warned. The report highlighted that while Trump activated FEMA assistance, he has previously indicated plans to phase out such aid, once suggesting that governors needing federal emergency help might not be capable of their jobs.

When asked about FEMA phase-out plans, Trump said it was something “we can talk about later, but right now, we are busy working.”

The Trump administration is reportedly reducing research and analysis of climate change, despite such analysis informing National Weather Service warnings that led to evacuations along the Guadalupe River. Climate scientists have long predicted that warmer air holds more moisture, resulting in more intense storms.

Rick Spinrad, former National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) director, told Al Jazeera that reduced research leads to less accurate predictions, compromising people’s ability to prepare for extreme weather events.

“Without research, without staff to do the work, we can assume that the predictions, [for] hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, drought, wildfires, tsunamis, for that matter, are undoubtedly going to degrade,” Spinrad explained.

In February, the Trump administration announced cuts affecting hundreds of NOAA staff positions, including National Weather Service meteorologists.

Abbott declared Sunday a day of prayer for Texas, urging residents to pray “for the lives lost, for those still missing, for the recovery of our communities, and for the safety of those on the front lines.”

In Rome, Pope Leo XIV offered special prayers for those affected by the disaster, expressing “sincere condolences to all the families who have lost loved ones, in particular their daughters who were in summer camp, in the disaster caused by the flooding of the Guadalupe River in Texas.”