Synopsis: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over the tragic flooding in central Texas that has claimed at least 49 lives, including 15 children, with 27 more children still missing. Kerr County was the worst hit, where many of the missing children were attending Camp Mystic, a girls’ summer camp along the Guadalupe River.
Houston, July 6: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences on Saturday, mourning the loss of life in the catastrophic flooding across central Texas has led to the deaths of at least 49 people, with several others still unaccounted for, according to local officials.
“Deeply saddened to hear about the tragic loss of lives, particularly of children, in the devastating floods in Texas. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the US Government and the grieving families,” PM Modi posted on X.
Deeply saddened to learn about loss of lives, especially children in the devastating floods in Texas. Our condolences to the US Government and the bereaved families.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 5, 2025
Search and rescue missions remain underway in multiple counties as authorities continue efforts to locate missing individuals.
In Kerr County, Sheriff Larry Leitha confirmed during a press briefing that 43 individuals—including 28 adults and 15 children—lost their lives when flash floods swept through the area early Friday following relentless rainfall.
City Manager of Kerrville, Dalton Rice, revealed that 27 children are still missing, most of whom were attending Camp Mystic, a private Christian summer camp for girls located on the banks of the Guadalupe River. The camp, which typically accommodates around 750 children each summer, was heavily impacted by the flooding, reported Xinhua news agency.
“We’ve been conducting mass rescues from these camps throughout the day,” said Rice, highlighting the scale of the ongoing emergency response.
In neighboring Travis County, four fatalities were reported, while 13 individuals remain missing, as per local broadcaster KXAN-TV, citing County Judge Andy Brown.
Meanwhile, in Burnet County, emergency operations were still in progress as of Saturday afternoon. Authorities there confirmed two deaths and noted that two more people are yet to be located.
Responding to the escalating crisis, Texas Governor Greg Abbott expanded the state’s disaster declaration on Saturday, adding six more counties to the list. This brings the total number of counties affected by the flash floods to 20.
The Guadalupe River in Kerr County experienced a rapid and dramatic surge in water levels, rising from 7.5 feet (2.3 meters) to 29.5 feet (9 meters) in just three hours early Friday, marking the second-highest water level ever recorded in the area, according to the US National Weather Service (NWS).
Nim Kidd, head of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, stated on Friday that earlier forecasts by the NWS had significantly underestimated the rainfall totals that triggered the disastrous flooding.
Texas has already endured multiple severe flooding episodes this year. According to AccuWeather, the United States recorded an unprecedented number of flash flood emergencies in 2024. (Edited)
