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A deadly flood in the Texas Hill Country has claimed the lives of at least 13 people and left officials searching for more than 20 girls staying at Camp Mystic, a historic Christian girls' camp in Hunt, Texas, along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County.

Camp Mystic, a private Christian girls summer camp, was hosting 750 campers when overnight floods hit on July 4, according to Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.

Camp Mystic was established in 1926 by Doc Stewart, a former head football coach at the University of Texas. Over the decades, it was known to provide religious and spiritual growth for campers, outdoor skills and lifelong friendships, according to online information.

Its mission each summer is "to provide young girls with a wholesome Christian atmosphere in which they can develop outstanding personal qualities and self-esteem."

Stewart had previously founded Camp Stewart for Boys in the same area just two years prior. Both camps became cornerstones of the Hill Country's longstanding tradition of summer recreation and character-building as generations of families in the area sent their children to the camps.

Camp Mystic became known for teaching marksmanship, drama, music and painting for several uninterrupted years, according to the Texas State Historical Association, except for a brief period between 1943 and 1945, when the federal government leased the land as "a convalescent camp for Army Air Corps veterans of World War II."

The region's natural beauty, cool waters and warm hospitality helped turned the Guadalupe corridor into a summer camp hub, with more than a dozen camps taking up space in the Kerrville area, according to the city's Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Among the summer camps is Camp La Junta for Boys, which was established in 1928, and Mo-Ranch, another Christian summer retreat that opened in 1949.

Camp Mystic is set to celebrate its 100-year anniversary in April of 2026.

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Patrick confirmed in Friday's press conference that "more than 20 girls are unaccounted for" at the camp. "That does not mean they are lost," he emphasized, noting that emergency officials are still rescuing those across the region.

The tragic floods have impacted several camps in the Hill Country area, reminding long-time residents of another deadly flood that claimed the lives of teen campers from the Dallas area in July 1987 near Comfort Texas, less than an hour away from Camp Mystic in Hunt.

The death toll from devastating floods in the Texas Hill Country rose to 24 Friday night, officials said, as a the search for more than 20 people missing from a girls summer camp continued through the night.

The water from the flooded Guadalupe River swept into Kerr County and other areas around 4 a.m. Friday after heavy rains overnight, authorities said. Bodies were reported to have been found in cars swept away from upstream.

Gov. Greg Abbott called it an “extraordinary catastrophe,” and said that search and rescue missions will continue through the night.

“They will continue in the darkness of night, they will be taking place when the sun rises in the morning. They will be non-stop,” Abbott said at a press conference Friday night.

The missing are from Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas, which was hosting 750 children this week. Helicopters ferried dozens to safety Friday. Texas Game Wardens said in the evening that they were able to reach the camp with vehicles to bring out others.

Between 23 and 25 people from Camp Mystic are unaccounted for, Kerr County Sheriff Larry L. Leitha Jr. said.

Leitha said Friday night that the confirmed deaths in the county were 24, up from the 13 that he reported earlier in the day. A death was also reported in Kendall County, he said.

Texas Director of Public Safety Col. Freeman Martin called the disaster "a mass casualty event."

Helicopters with hoists were used to rescue survivors, including people from trees, officials said. Adjutant General of Texas Major General Thomas Suelzer said that by Friday night 237 people had been rescued, 167 of whom were brought to safety by helicopter.

More than 400 people were on the ground responding to the disaster, Lieutenant Gov. Dan Patrick said.

The Department of Homeland Security said the U.S. Coast Guard and Federal Emergency Management Agency had been activated. Patrick said he had been in contact with President Donald Trump.

Trump called the floods “terrible” when asked by reporters about the situation Friday night on Air Force One, and he said the U.S. government will help.

“We’re working with the governor. It’s a terrible thing,” he said.

Helicopters Friday transported children from Camp Mystic to safety Friday, video from NBC affiliate WOAI of San Antonio showed.

Texas Game Wardens said on Facebook Friday evening: “Have made entry into Camp Mystic with vehicles and are beginning to bring campers out!”

Patrick said that even though around 20 children were unaccounted for, "that does not mean they’ve been lost."

"They could be in a tree. They could be out of communication," he said. "We’re praying for all of those missing to be found alive. We're doing everything we can to get in there."

Parts of Kerr County got a little more than 10 inches of rain over 24 hours, the National Weather Service said at 4 p.m. Friday. Farther north, Llano County got 8 1/2 inches over that period.

“We lost everything. A lot of people lost everything,” one survivor told WOAI in Kerrville. A local Walmart gave him a pair of shoes. “Nobody expected this,” he said.

Another man in Kerrville told the station that his brother's house is missing after the flood — along with the brother, his wife and their two children.

Earlier in the day, Camp Mystic issued a statement telling parents: “If your daughter is not accounted for, you have been notified,” while indicating girls located in other parts of the camp had been found safe.

The officials said the nearby highway was washed away and that the area remained without power, water or internet and was “struggling” to get more help.

“Please continue to pray and send any help if you have contacts to do so,” the officials wrote.

The camp, about two hours west of Austin, is for girls between the ages of 7 and 17, and it was due to celebrate its 100th anniversary next year.

It’s located near the Guadalupe River, which authorities said surged as much as 22 feet in just half an hour Friday morning to a height of 30 feet in the nearby town of Comfort in Kerr County, breaking a record that had stood for decades.

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Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, also issued a statement on X shortly after 4 p.m. ET.

“Please pray right now for everyone in the Hill Country, especially Camp Mystic,” he wrote. “Today, I’ve spoken with Gov Abbott, Lt. Gov Patrick, the head of TDEM & President Trump. Multiple helicopters are performing search & rescue. President Trump committed ANYTHING Texas needs.”

The force of the water in Ingram in Kerr County smashed the windows of homes and ripped off doors and paneling, video from WOAI showed.

Footage on social media showed an SUV swept away by raging floodwaters in Kerrville. The person who recorded it said the video was taken Friday morning.

The Guadalupe River had crested at Kerrville and Comfort by Friday evening, but other parts of the river downstream weren’t forecast to crest until Saturday morning.

The Guadalupe River near Spring Branch was forecast to crest at 37.2 feet, classified as moderate flood stage, around 2 a.m. Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.

NBC meteorologist Bill Karins said that the rain event “just sat here” in the area overnight into Friday morning in hilly terrain.

“It’s not like the mountains in the Rockies or in the Appalachians, but there are hills — and so that water will rush down the hills and collect in the smaller streams, and then it all combines, and all into the Guadalupe,” Karins said on NBC News Now.

Lina Hidalgo, the judge of Harris County, where Houston is, said five of the dead are from the Houston or Harris County area.

"All of Texas is impacted by this tragic event," she wrote on X.

Flood warnings throughout the state remain in place through the weekend.

“There is an ongoing threat for possible flash flooding from San Antonio to Waco for the next 24 to 48 hours, in addition to the continued risks in west and central Texas,” Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said in a statement.

Rob Wile

Rob Wile is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist covering breaking business stories for NBCNews.com.

Phil Helsel

Phil Helsel is a reporter for NBC News.

Heavy rains and deadly flooding continue to wreak havoc across the Texas Hill Country, putting Canyon Lake and surrounding communities on high alert.

The recent storm has caused significant rises in river levels and ongoing flood threats along the Guadalupe River.

Canyon Lake, located northwest of New Braunfels, was formed after the construction of Canyon Dam, which began in 1958. Water impoundment started in 1964, and the lake reached its conservation pool level by 1968. Covering over 8,200 acres with 60 miles of shoreline, this reservoir plays a critical role in flood control, water conservation and outdoor recreation in the Hill Country.

Looking at 25 years of data around July 4th, Canyon Lake’s water levels have varied quite a bit. The lowest recorded level was about 885 feet last year in 2024. Generally, the lake’s surface usually sits between roughly 904 and 910 feet, with the median level around 906 feet, according to USGS water data.

Extreme highs, like during the historic 2002 flood, saw the lake rise to an astonishing 950 feet. While most years see the lake staying within a comfortable range, significant fluctuations are not uncommon.

However, in the last 30 days, the water levels have remained steady above 877 feet, indicating relatively stable conditions for the moment.

Currently, the upper Guadalupe River is undergoing a dangerous flood event, with floodwaters actively moving downstream through Kerrville and Comfort toward Canyon Lake. The reservoir still has the capacity to absorb incoming flows, and flood releases are managed carefully by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Releases occur only if lake elevation exceeds 909 feet above mean sea level, and no such releases are anticipated at this time, according to the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority.

The creation of Canyon Lake profoundly reshaped Comal County. Today, the lake supports thriving residential neighborhoods, parks, marinas and a bustling tourist industry, but historically low water levels have threatened the community in recent seasons.

As flood risks remain high, residents and visitors are urged to stay informed through official channels and avoid floodwaters for their safety.

Thunderstorms and torrential rain in the United States have triggered deadly flash flooding along the Guadalupe River in south-central Texas, killing at least 13 people and leaving more than 20 girls from a summer camp missing, according to local authorities.

The US National Weather Service declared a flash flood emergency on Thursday for parts of Kerr County, located in south-central Texas Hill Country, about 105km (65 miles) northwest of San Antonio, following heavy downpours measuring up to 300mm (1ft) of rain.

Dalton Rice, city manager for Kerville, the county seat, told reporters the extreme flooding struck before dawn with little or no warning, precluding authorities from issuing any evacuation orders.

“This happened very quickly, over a very short period of time that could not be predicted, even with the radar,” Rice said. “This happened within less than a two-hour span.”

Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick said somewhere between six and 10 bodies had been found so far in the frantic search for victims. Meanwhile, during a news conference conducted at the same time as Patrick’s update, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha reported that there were 13 deaths from the flooding.

Patrick said 23 girls were listed as unaccounted for among more than 700 children who were at a summer camp when it was swept by floodwaters at about 4am local time (09:00 GMT).

“That does not mean they’ve been lost; they could be in a tree, they could be out of communication,” he said.

At least 250mm of rain poured down overnight in central Kerr County, causing flash flooding of the Guadalupe River and leading to desperate pleas for information about the missing.

“Some are adults, some are children,” Patrick said during a news conference. “Again, we don’t know where those bodies came from.”

Teams conducted dozens of rescues, and emergency responders continued to search for those who were unaccounted for.

“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.

He said the Guadalupe River rose 8 metres (26ft) in 45 minutes in the midst of heavy downpours deluging the region. Search teams were flying 14 helicopters and a dozen drones over the area, in addition to hundreds of emergency personnel on the ground conducting rescues from trees and swift-flowing water.

“Additional rain is forecast in those areas,” Patrick said. “Even if the rain is light, more flooding can occur in those areas. There is an ongoing threat for possible flash flooding from San Antonio to Waco for the next 24 to 48 hours in addition to the continued risks in west and central Texas.”

Patrick read out a message from the director of the summer camp, which had some 750 campers over the July 4 long weekend, reporting that it had “sustained catastrophic level of flooding”.

“We have no power, water or Wi-Fi,” the message said.

State and local officials warned against residents travelling to the area, which includes campgrounds dotted along the river, with dozens of roads “impassable”.

Videos on social media showed houses and trees swept away by the overnight flash flood caused by heavy overnight rainfall of 300mm – one-third of Kerr County’s average annual rainfall.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott shared a video on X of a victim being plucked from the top of a tree by a rescuer dangling from a helicopter as floodwaters raged below.

Personnel from the US Coast Guard and the Federal Emergency Management Agency were activated to assist local authorities in confronting the crisis, officials said.

Freeman Martin, director of the state’s public safety department, said the flood was a “mass casualty event”.

“The rain has let up, but we know there’s another wave coming,” Martin warned, saying more rain would be hitting areas around San Antonio and Austin.

Growing up in the small West Texas town of Abilene, Patrick Terry's favorite spot was Mack Eplen’s Drivateria, a cult-classic burger stand chain that existed from the 1930s until the late 1970s. Terry, a University of Texas graduate, moved back to Austin to become the director of the Texas Sesquicentennial Commission in 1985. He was also a consultant to the late former Texas Governor, Ann Richards.

Upon his return, he decided he wanted to create his own burger joint inspired by his memories of Eplen’s and the community that the restaurant represented.

"He just did things that nobody else did back then, and I guess it just resonated with me; it was just a place to go, and I really appreciated it, even back when I was a child," Terry, 67, told MySA. "When the idea came about to have a hamburger place, I guess so much of it just came back to me, as in my childhood and so he's kind of been that guy for for me, and kind of a guiding light."

That guiding light has helped P.Terry's become a statewide foodie favorite that's celebrating 20 years in the Lone Star State.

P. Terry's Burger Stands now share key similarities to Mack Eplen's from the retro interior and exterior menu signs to the famous drive-thru line to the commissary-style central kitchen delivering fresh food to each restaurant daily.

On July 5, 2005, Terry and his wife, Kathy opened their first P. Terry's location in Austin at South Lamar Boulevard and Barton Springs Road.

"When we first opened, the response was almost immediate...the line just started growing by word of mouth," Terry said. "No one had ever experienced something like this in Austin, where the quality of the beef and the fresh cut french fries were matching with the price of or below McDonald's."

Terry explained that long lines for the small drive-thru/pick-up only location grew quickly, especially after an online chat room at the time shared positive reviews about P. Terry's, further spurring its popularity. As Terry and his wife worked inside the restaurant during its first few years, they got to know their customers firsthand, many of which they learned were on a budget.

"They still want the quality, because they care what they eat, but they don't have, you know, unlimited resources," Terry said. "We saw where even if you raise things up a nickel and a dime, and your customer is digging through the ashtray in his car to come up with the right amount of money to pay for his meal, that all of a sudden, that nickel, dime, quarter matters."

Because of this, Terry recognizes the importance of keeping his prices low, even as P. Terry's continues to grow beyond Austin. The company now has 35 Texas locations across three major markets: Austin, San Antonio and Houston.

Last year, P. Terry's slightly increased its prices to combat inflation, which Terry describes was "like pulling teeth." In response, Terry wrote a letter, which was placed in each order's bag, informing customers of the decision while reaffirming the company's mission.

"When we go up on our prices, we put a note in the bag, because it's very important that we be transparent," Terry said. "It's very important that the customer trusts us and knows everything that's going on. That's how you build a relationship...there can be times when you can't afford a $3 hamburger, and so we never forget that around here."

Over the past two decades, many P. Terry's customers have grown to respect the company's values just as much, if not more than, they enjoy the company's food. P. Terry's continues to offer random deals throughout its restaurants like $2 egg burgers amid rising egg prices in February.

"It's a complicated time right now, and anything we can do to make you feel good, I think, just benefits us all," Terry said. "Even though we've been around 20 years, we're we're still evolving, and we're not afraid to stick our neck out and see what happens."

More recently, the company challenged its biggest Texas competitor, Whataburger, by making two Austin restaurants its first 24 hour locations. Terry wants to make more P. Terry's 24/7 and expand the brand in the Houston-area, where it currently has three stores and is planning more.

Although he said he doesn't have plans for the burger chain to leave Texas, he hopes to continue to grow P. Terry's throughout Texas since he believes there's still plenty of opportunities for growth in-state.

"We won't leave Texas, not in my lifetime. There's no reason to, " Terry said. "We just don't grow that quickly."

To mark its 20th anniversary, P. Terry’s will offer a $7.05 "Birthday Combo" on Saturday, July 5, which includes a double cheeseburger, fries, and a birthday shake. The in-store only deal begins at 4 a.m. at its 24-hour Austin locations and 8 a.m. at all other P. Terry's burger stands across Austin, San Antonio, and Houston. P. Terry's is also throwing a birthday celebration from noon to 5 p.m. this Saturday at its first Barton Springs location to say thank you to its loyal Austin fans.

"We're just extremely grateful for the people in Austin that that how they've always been in our corner and supported us," Terry said. "Not every city would have gotten what we were trying to accomplish, but Austin really stuck with us."