24 Dead, 20 Girls Missing as Flooding Ravages Central Texas

Officials are warning residents to avoid travel, citing rapidly rising rivers, unstable ground, and life-threatening floodwaters.

Water rises from severe flooding along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, Texas, on July 4, 2025. KSAT via AP

Catastrophic flash flooding triggered by torrential rainfall has left 24 people dead, others missing, and extensive damage across parts of central Texas, prompting urgent rescue operations and widespread power outages on Independence Day.

At a news conference late Friday, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said “about 24” people were dead after at least 10 inches of rain poured down overnight.