Fri Jul 04 23:13:15 UTC 2025: Here’s a news article summarizing the text:

**Texas Hill Country Devastated by Flash Floods: At Least 13 Dead, Summer Campers Missing**

KERR COUNTY, TX – Catastrophic flash flooding ripped through Texas Hill Country early Thursday morning, leaving at least 13 people dead and more than 20 girls from a summer camp unaccounted for. The sudden deluge, with some areas receiving up to 1 foot (300mm) of rain in a matter of hours, overwhelmed the Guadalupe River and surrounding areas, triggering a Flash Flood Emergency.

“This happened very quickly, over a very short period of time that could not be predicted, even with the radar,” stated Kerville City Manager Dalton Rice. The rapid rise of the Guadalupe River, which reportedly surged 26 feet in just 45 minutes, caught residents and campers completely off guard.

Among the hardest hit was a summer camp with over 700 children, where 23 girls were initially reported as unaccounted for. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick stressed that their status was uncertain, saying, “That does not mean they’ve been lost; they could be in a tree, they could be out of communication.”

Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha confirmed the 13 fatalities during a press conference. The situation has been described as a “mass casualty event” by state officials. Search and rescue efforts have been hampered by the continued risk of flooding, with additional rain forecast for the region stretching from San Antonio to Waco. Fourteen helicopters and a dozen drones are aiding the search, along with hundreds of emergency personnel on the ground.

Governor Greg Abbott shared a dramatic video showing a flood victim being rescued from a treetop by a helicopter. The US Coast Guard and FEMA have been activated to assist local authorities. State officials are urging residents to avoid the area as numerous roads remain impassable.

The director of the affected summer camp reported catastrophic damage, leaving them without power, water, or Wi-Fi. Lieutenant Governor Patrick urged Texans to pray for the safe return of the missing.

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