Former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama both expressed heartbreak over the Texas flooding tragedy, expressing sorrow for the lives lost and gratitude to emergency personnel working to find missing people.
“On this day of prayer, Laura and I are holding up our fellow Texans who are hurting. We are heartbroken by the loss of life and the agony so many are feeling,” Bush wrote in a statement.
“Those who have lost their precious children are facing a grief no parents should ever know. We are grateful to the first responders and volunteers who are working to find the missing and comfort the grieving at Camp Mystic and along the Guadalupe. We know our words cannot help, but we believe the prayers of so many Americans will.”
Obama also shared a statement calling the flooding “absolutely heartbreaking.”
“The flash flooding in Central Texas is absolutely heartbreaking. Michelle and I are praying for everyone who has lost a loved one or is waiting for news — especially the parents. And we’re grateful to the first responders and rescue teams working around the clock to help,” Obama wrote in a post on X.
President Trump declares major disaster for Texas due to severe storms and flooding, authorizing federal relief with FEMA coordination under the Stafford Act, the White House shared in a statement on X.
“Dear Governor Abbott: I have declared a major disaster under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq. (the “Stafford Act”), for the State of Texas due to damage resulting from severe storms, straight-line winds, and flooding beginning on July 2, 2025, and continuing,” the White House wrote in a statement on X.
Trump has authorized federal relief and recovery assistance in the affected area, as well as providing individual assistance and public assistance.
“Consistent with the requirement that Federal assistance is supplemental, any Federal funds provided under the Stafford Act for Other Needs Assistance under section 408 will be limited to 75 percent of the total eligible costs in the designated areas,” the statement continued. “Federal funds provided under Stafford Act for Public Assistance also will be limited to 75 percent of the total eligible costs.”
Trump announced that he is also appointing Benjamin Abbott as Federal Coordinating Officer to manage relief efforts.
“He will consult with you and assist in the execution of the FEMA-State Agreement for disaster assistance governing the expenditure of Federal funds,” the White House wrote.
Trump also wrote below the proclamation that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem would be “available at all times.”
The Texas State and National Guard service members are continuing search and rescue efforts across Central Texas after devastating flood waters pummeled the region and claimed the lives of over 50 people.
“Texas State and National Guard Service Members continue to work 24/7 across Central Texas and the Texas Hill Country,” the organization wrote in a post on X.
“Our men and women on the ground and in the air have rescued more than 360 people so far — and we won’t stop until all who are stranded or lost are found and returned to their families and loved ones.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Sunday said he is deploying rescue teams to Texas to help search for survivors in the wake of deadly floods that killed nearly 70 people.
DeSantis made the announcement in a post on X.
“Florida will support Texas following the catastrophic flooding in Kerrville and the surrounding areas,” he wrote. “At my direction, @FLSERT is deploying three swiftwater rescue teams through an EMAC to assist with response and recovery.”
“We’re standing by to lend more help as requested,” the Republican governor said.
As of Sunday afternoon, 59 deaths were reported in Kerr County. Authorities have reported four deaths in Travis County, three in Burnet and 1 in Kendall.
President Donald Trump on Sunday said that he signed a major disaster declaration for Kerr County, Texas, after deadly flash floods devastated the region.
Trump made the announcement in a post on his Truth Social platform, writing that it will “ensure that our Brave First Responders immediately have the resources they need.”
“These families are enduring an unimaginable tragedy, with many lives lost, and many still missing,” the president’s post read. “The Trump Administration continues to work closely with State and Local Leaders. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem was on the ground yesterday with Governor Greg Abbott, who is working hard to help the people of his Great State. Our incredible U.S. Coast Guard, together with State First Responders, have saved more than 850 lives. GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS!”
The death toll across Central Texas climbed to nearly 70 on Sunday morning after officials in Kerr County provided an update.
Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said 59 people were confirmed dead, while the missing included 11 young girls and one counselor from Camp Mystic along the banks of the Guadalupe River in Hunt, Texas.
Officials in Texas earlier confirmed additional deaths in nearby counties of Travis, Burnet and Kendall.
Devastating flooding in Kerr County, Texas, has killed at least 59 people as of Sunday as crews continue to search for survivors, including 11 children and one counselor still missing from a Christian summer camp.
Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha told reporters during a news conference Sunday morning that of the 59 confirmed dead, there were 38 adults and 21 children. Officials were still working to identify 18 of the deceased adults and four of the children.
Leitha said that 11 young girls and one counselor from Camp Mystic, a retreat along the banks of the Guadalupe River in Hunt, Texas, were still missing.
Officials had earlier said that 27 campers were missing. Officials did not immediately provide further details on the updated count.
“We will continue our search efforts until everyone is found,” the sheriff said.
Additional deaths were reported in Travis, Burnet and Kendall counties, bringing the total death toll across Central Texas to nearly 70 as of Sunday morning.
One Texas family helped save a woman’s life who was clinging to a tree for hours as deadly flash flooding struck Kerr County over the weekend.
The woman, who was swept 20 miles downriver, caught the Jeter family’s attention when she saw Carl and began to “scream for help” while he was outside on his deck. “She spotted me, and she started to scream for help,” Carl told “Fox & Friends Weekend” on Sunday.
“At first, I couldn’t… locate her. I thought she was in the river itself going downstream, and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh,’ and then I finally was able to look across the river at the end of the tree and I spotted her, so I began to call out to her and tell her that I see her… ‘I got you. We’re going to get you some help. It’s going to be okay. Just hang on.'”
The family was able to call for help and ultimately, Texas troopers rescued the woman from the tree after an hours-long nightmare.
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital’s Bailee Hill. To continue reading, click here.
A Republican lawmaker said he and his wife were reunited with their two daughters who were attending a Christian summer camp that was destroyed when historic flooding swept through Central Texas over the weekend.
Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, said Saturday in a post on X that his two daughters were evacuated from Camp Mystic, a camp along the banks of the Guadalupe River in Hunt, Texas.
“Camille, Vivian and I are now reunited with Caroline and Juliana who were evacuated from Camp Mystic,” Pfluger said of his family. “The last day has brought unimaginable grief to many families and we mourn with them as well as holding out hope for survivors.”
In a separate post, Pfluger praised the heroism of camp counselors and others who acted to save lives during the height of the flooding.
“There are countless heroes who acted so bravely during this tragic situation – who sacrificed for others – thank you…and for most of you we will never even know the stories or understand what you did! But, THANK YOU!” the congressman wrote.
Pfluger said Camp Mystic’s co-owner, Dick Eastland, likely sacrificed his life to save young girls attending the camp.
“Camp Mystic’s Dick Eastland no doubt gave his life attempting to save his campers,” Pfluger wrote. “For decades he and his wife Tweety poured his life into loving and developing girls and women of character. Thank you Mr. Eastland. We love you and miss you.”
Pfluger asked the public to “pray for miracles” as crew continue searching for survivors of the floods, including 27 girls missing from Camp Mystic in Kerr County.
President Donald Trump agreed to send “all available resources” to Texas after deadly flash flooding devastated parts of the state, the White House said Sunday.
James Blair, White House deputy chief of staff, made the remarks during an appearance on “Fox & Friends Weekend.”
“The president’s been engaged since everything started happening,” Blair said, adding that Trump has been in direct communication with officials in Texas as well as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
“The federal government led by President Trump is there for the state of Texas,” Blair said. “He has agreed to send all available resources that are requested down to Texas.”
Trump posted about the tragedy on Truth Social on Saturday, confirming that the administration was working with state and local officials to respond to the tragedy.
“Melania and I are praying for all of the families impacted by this horrible tragedy,” the post read. “Our Brave First Responders are on site doing what they do best. GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS!”
The flooding has killed at least 51 people across Central Texas as of Sunday morning. Officials confirmed that 43 of those deaths were in Kerr County, where crews were still searching for 27 missing girls who were swept away in gushing floodwaters while at a Christian summer camp.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott shared details about his visit to a Christian summer camp along a river in Kerr County, where at least five children were killed and dozens of other campers remain missing after gushing floodwaters swept through the camp.
Abbott described the destruction of Camp Mystic along the banks of the Guadalupe River in Hunt, Texas, in a post on X.
“It, and the river running beside it, were horrendously ravaged in ways unlike I’ve seen in any natural disaster,” the governor said of the camp. “The height the rushing water reached to the top of cabins was shocking.”
“We won’t stop until we find every girl who was in those cabins,” Abbott vowed.
As of Sunday morning, five young girls who were staying at Camp Mystic have been confirmed dead. Kerr County officials confirmed 27 campers were still missing about 36 hours after the flood. There were 750 attendees at the camp when the wall of water slammed into the camp.
“The camp was completely destroyed,” 13-year-old Elinor Lester, one of hundreds of campers, told The Associated Press. “A helicopter landed and started taking people away. It was really scary.”
Officials said the flooding in Kerr County killed at least 43 people, including 15 children. Officials confirmed another eight people died in nearby counties.
Authorities said about 850 people have been rescued so far.
After a Texas flood killed at least 32 people Friday, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem addressed criticism about notification prior to the flood, saying the administration is working on updating the National Weather Service and NOAA’s “neglected” and “ancient” systems.
Citing her time in Congress and as governor of South Dakota, Noem said that while the weather is difficult to predict, there have been instances when officials and citizens expressed the need for quicker warning and clearer notification before deadly weather.
“That is one of the reasons that, when President [Donald] Trump took office, he said he wanted to fix and is currently upgrading the technology,” Noem said during a news conference with state officials Saturday afternoon.
“The National Weather Service has indicated that with that and the [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration] (NOAA), we needed to renew this ancient system that has been left in place with the federal government for many, many years.”
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch. To continue reading, click here.
Officials on Saturday confirmed over 50 people are dead in Central Texas and more than 27 young girls remain missing in Kerr County after a devastating flood swept through the region.
Five young girls who were staying at Camp Mystic, an all-girls private Christian retreat in Hunt, Texas, have been confirmed dead.
Anne Hunt confirmed to Fox News Digital that her daughter, Janie, was one of the campers killed in the flood. A Voice for the Voiceless, a nonprofit that advocates for “the missing, voiceless and crime victims,” identified Renee Smajstrla as another deceased camper.
Family members identified best friends Lila Bonner and Eloise Peck as the most recent cabinmates found dead, according to a report from FOX 4 Dallas. They had both recently finished second grade at Bradfield Elementary.
A fifth camper has been confirmed to be deceased. However, her family asked that her name not be released.
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital’s Rachel Wolf and Alexandra Koch. To continue reading, click here.
As officials continue to confirm deaths and search for those missing after the Texas Hill Country floods on Friday, locals have started to share stories of incredible acts of bravery and heroism amid a weekend of anguish.
Julian Ryan and his fiancé Christina Wilson were at their home in Ingram, when water began rushing through the doors.
As the water was quickly rising, Ryan, 27, punched through a window to get Wilson, their children, and his mother out of the flooded house, according to Houston outlet KHOU-11.
Wilson told the outlet the glass cut one of Ryan’s arteries and his arm was badly injured. Calls to 911 went unanswered.
“By 6 (a.m.), he looked at me and the kids and my mother-in-law and said, ‘I’m sorry, I’m not going to make it. I love y’all,’” Wilson told KHOU-11.
Ryan is being remembered as a “true hero,” who was dedicated to his family, according to a GoFundMe created for the family.
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch. To continue reading, click here.
