Texas flood toll passes 100 as more bodies recovered

The death toll from catastrophic flooding in Texas climbed past 100 on Monday, as search teams scoured devastated areas, including a riverside summer camp where 27 girls and counselors were killed.

The floods struck with deadly force over the Fourth of July weekend, turning the Guadalupe River into a torrent that swept away cabins and shattered windows as hundreds of children slept at Camp Mystic.

“There is still a threat of heavy rain with the potential to cause flooding,” Governor Greg Abbott said Monday, warning that the toll could continue to rise. More than 1,750 rescue workers, aided by helicopters, dogs, and boats, remain on alert across central Texas.

President Donald Trump called the floods a “100-year catastrophe” and confirmed plans to visit Texas on Friday. He also signed a major disaster declaration, unlocking federal aid.

Camp Mystic tragedy

In Kerr County alone, where the Guadalupe River runs high and fast through rocky hill country, at least 84 people died, including 28 children.

Twenty-seven of the victims had been staying at Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp housing about 750 people when the waters rose rapidly overnight.

Blankets, stuffed animals, and shattered furniture littered the mud-caked site. One volunteer described finding the remnants of a phone message from two missing girls that ended with: “We’re being washed away.”

Volunteers and grieving families were among those picking through debris along the riverbanks.

“We’re helping the parents of two of the missing children,” said Louis Deppe, 62. “The last message they got was ‘We’re being washed away,’ and the phone went dead.”

Texas Senator Ted Cruz, speaking from Washington, said camps like Mystic are "where lifetime friendships are made — and then suddenly it turns to tragedy."

Warning system under scrutiny

Some residents are questioning why no mass alerts were issued in an area known as “Flash Flood Alley” due to its frequent and deadly surges.

Nicole Wilson, a San Antonio mother who nearly sent her daughters to Camp Mystic, has launched a petition urging the state to build a better emergency siren network.

“Five minutes of that siren going off could have saved every single one of those children,” Wilson told AFP.

Climate scientist Daniel Swain said while the National Weather Service issued accurate forecasts, there was a failure in "warning dissemination" that left communities vulnerable.

The New York Times previously reported staffing gaps at the weather service’s regional offices. But the White House pushed back Monday, defending its response and condemning political attacks.

“Blaming President Trump for these floods is a depraved lie,” said Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. “The National Weather Service issued timely and precise forecasts and warnings.”

'Two-story building' surge

The floods hit with terrifying speed. On Thursday night, months’ worth of rain fell within hours. By early Friday, the Guadalupe had surged 26 feet, roughly the height of a two-story building, in just 45 minutes.

Flash floods like these occur when the ground is too saturated to absorb sudden downpours. Scientists warn such events are becoming more frequent and extreme due to human-driven climate change.

In Hunt and other small towns near the river, the water reached rooftops and treetops, sweeping away cabins and cars. Emergency crews, working through the weekend, say some victims may still be missing downstream.

At least 104 deaths have been confirmed across several central Texas counties, making this one of the deadliest flood disasters in recent state history.

Rain is expected to continue through the week, keeping rivers dangerously high and slowing recovery efforts.