Sun Jul 06 08:58:41 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing and rewriting the provided text:
**Headline: Texas Flash Floods Claim at Least 50 Lives, Dozens of Children Missing**
**Kerr County, Texas -** A catastrophic flash flood has ripped through Central Texas, leaving a trail of devastation and claiming the lives of at least 50 people, including children. Emergency services are engaged in a desperate search and rescue operation, deploying helicopters, boats, and drones to locate survivors and recover the deceased.
The disaster struck in the early hours of July 4, 2025, when torrential rainfall triggered a surge of water down hillsides and into already swollen creeks. The Guadalupe River was overwhelmed, unleashing a torrent that swept through summer camps and small communities approximately 70 miles west of San Antonio.
Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp for girls located along the river in Kerr County, bore the brunt of the devastation. As of Saturday, 27 campers remain unaccounted for, prompting an intense search focused on the area surrounding the camp.
“The landscape has been utterly transformed,” said a local official. “We’re seeing twisted trees, overturned vehicles, and mud-covered debris everywhere. Our priority is to find survivors and bring closure to the families affected by this tragedy.”
The sheer force of the floodwaters is staggering. Reports indicate the Guadalupe River rose an astonishing 26 feet in just 45 minutes before dawn on Friday, obliterating homes and sweeping away vehicles. While authorities haven’t yet provided a total number of missing persons beyond the Camp Mystic girls, the scale of destruction suggests the toll could rise.
The region’s geography, characterized by shallow rivers winding through hills and valleys, makes it particularly susceptible to deadly flash floods. Despite ongoing rescue efforts, the search is hampered by continuing rainfall and the presence of flash flood warnings and watches.
First Piper 