Texas Flood Death Toll Rises to 87, Including 27 Children
Churches across central Texas came together to pray Sunday as the region continues to search for survivors from a catastrophic flood that devastated the region and left at least 87 dead, marking one of the worst natural disasters in American history. In Kerr County, home to youth camps such as the much-publicized Camp Mystic -- a Christian all-girls summer camp -- authorities have recovered the bodies of 68 individuals, including 27 campers and counselors, according to a Sunday update from Sheriff Larry Leitha. As of Monday morning, the death toll stood at 87, although many more are still unaccounted for.
The deaths were the result of a historic and catastrophic flash flood that caused the Guadalupe River to surge 28 feet in just 45 minutes as people slept on the morning of the Fourth of July, sweeping away cars, trees, homes, and camp cabins before many had a chance to escape. The holiday had drawn countless families and visitors to the region for celebrations and outdoor recreation.
"We're going to open our time with prayer, because that's what we need most right now," Pastor Matt Travis of Comfort Baptist Church in nearby Comfort, Texas, said at the beginning of Sunday's service.
In Kerrville, Texas, just a few miles from Camp Mystic, Pastor Joey Tombrella of First Baptist Church opened the service in prayer and said the congregation was hosting disaster relief teams for the area.
"People need hope today," Tombrella said, pointing to the gospel. "They need hope this week. They're gonna need hope for a while."
Declared this Sunday, July 6th, as a Day of Prayer in Texas in response to the floods in the Hill Country.
I invite Texans to join me in prayer for the communities affected by this disaster. pic.twitter.com/vHWt1CQPzW— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) July 6, 2025
The all-girls Camp Mystic is one of the most popular Christian camps in Texas, offering spiritual growth alongside outdoor activities to hundreds of attendees each summer. Founded in 1926, it was already planning centennial anniversary events for next year.
The number of children killed only added to the grief surrounding the disaster. Sarah Marsh, the 8-year-old daughter of Samford University assistant professor Patrick Marsh, was among those who perished, according to The Alabama Baptist. Samford President Beck Taylor requested prayer for the family.
Please join the Samford community as we pray for the Marsh family: Sarah Marsh, the 8-year-old daughter of Samford University assistant professor Patrick Marsh, is among those who lost their lives in a flash flood July 4 at Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas. https://t.co/6fZbr5OHKX
— Beck A. Taylor (@BeckTaylor) July 5, 2025
Dick Eastland, the director of Camp Mystic, died while trying to rescue girls from the flood.
"It doesn't surprise me at all that his last act of kindness and sacrifice was working to save the lives of campers," Paige Sumner, a friend of Eastland's, wrote in the Kerrville Daily Times. "He had already saved so many lives with the gift of Camp Mystic."
Sumner is a former camper at Camp Mystic.
"Dick was the father figure to all of us while we were away from home at Camp Mystic for six weeks," she wrote. "He was the father of four amazing boys, but he had hundreds of girls each term who looked up to him like a dad."
Meanwhile, rumors that began circulating Sunday about two rescued girls who supposedly had been clinging to a tree proved to be false. The Kerr County Sheriff's Office urged the public to verify information and to question unverified social media rumors, saying, "False information can cause pain to families and those already devastated by this event."
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott declared Sunday (July 6) a Day of Prayer in Texas.
"This is a time when we … need God more than ever," Abbott said over the weekend.
President Trump signed an order declaring Kerr County a disaster area, freeing up federal aid.
"These families are enduring an unimaginable tragedy, with many lives lost, and many still missing," he wrote on Truth Social.
Trump later added, "God bless all of the people who have gone through so much, and God bless the state of Texas."
Thank you, @realDonaldTrump, for your dedication to Texas.
Collaboration between our state, local, and federal partners is critical to our state’s recovery.
Thank you to our brave first responders working around the clock to find missing Texans. https://t.co/Ogej4RnHmK— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) July 6, 2025
Related Article: 3 Urgent Prayers for the Texan Communities Affected by Flash Flooding
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/RONALDO SCHEMIDT/Contributor
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
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Originally published July 07, 2025.
