At least 13 have been killed and dozens are missing after the Guadalupe River in Central Texas burst through its banks amid torrential rain, engulfing several towns underwater and causing flash floods that have swept away homes, cars, and RVs.

Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, who is acting governor while Greg Abbott is on vacation, said that at least 20 girls are unaccounted for from Camp Mystic near San Antonio, where around 700 kids were camping when the floods struck. Patrick said he is praying for the children “to be found alive.”

“Within 45 minutes, the Guadalupe River rose 26 feet, and it was a destructive flood, taking property and sadly lives, ” Patrick said at a press conference.

An entire RV park community in Ingram was swept away by the flood, with families still in their homes, according to WOAI. The former trailer park is now an empty lot.

Dozens of summer camps across the area were damaged or destroyed during the storm. The remains of a summer camp cabin were swept down the river between Kerrville and Comfort, reportedly with people calling from inside, according to the Daily Mail.

“We had no reason to believe that this was going to be anything like what’s happened here. None whatsoever,” Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said during a press conference on Friday. “Everyone is doing their very best trying to identify as much as they can.”

The worst of the damage has affected rural, unincorporated communities along the river, including those in Hunt, Center Point, and Comfort counties.

The Guadalupe River rose to 34 feet Friday morning—reaching a historic high—before the flood gauge broke.

Search efforts for the missing are underway, with local fire crews and police assisting, along with the United Cajun Navy and federal response agencies, according to CNN. The Texas National Guard, U.S. Coast Guard, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have been activated to assist with rescue and recovery operations.

Up to ten inches of rain fell in the towns of Kerr County and Tom Green County late Thursday evening, CNN reports. Joe Herring Jr., the mayor of Kerrville, the seat of Kerr County, declared a disaster on Friday morning. The county was unprepared for the extent of the flooding.

Even a few inches of water can sweep away vehicles, and witnesses have reported sightings of cars being carried away by the flood with people still inside, according to KEYE-TV. The rapid waters are carrying debris from destroyed infrastructure.

Rescue operations are ongoing, with residents being rescued from their rooftops and families being reunified in the Kerrville local Walmart, according to the Daily Mail.

The last time the area experienced a severe flood was during the Guadalupe River Flood of 1987, which resulted in the death of 10 teenagers. The river is now higher than it was in 1987, according to CNN.

The effects of climate change have exacerbated the disaster; much of the soil is extremely dry due to drought, creating conditions that are conducive to flash flooding. Texas has faced several floods this year, following a record-breaking number in 2024. The flooding comes after the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) gutted the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is tasked with responding to natural disasters.

The National Weather Service has warned that Mason and San Saba counties are expected to be affected by flooding, with the San Saba River expected to rise by more than 20 feet by Saturday morning. Gillespie County and Kendall Counties have also issued warnings due to the spread of the flood in nearby Kerr County.

Governor Greg Abbott released a statement around noon on Friday.

“Texas is providing all necessary resources to Kerrville, Ingram, Hunt, and the entire Texas Hill Country dealing with these devastating floods,” Abbott wrote.

President Donald Trump has not commented on the flooding.

This is a breaking news story and will continue to be updated.