Texas flooding: 108 people confirmed dead; 5 Camp Mystic campers, one counselor still missing

A total of 87 people, including 30 children, have been recovered in Kerr County alone, Sheriff Larry Leitha said in a news conference.

As for those missing from Camp Mystic, officials said that five campers and one counselor have still not been found.

Death toll at 105

Update 9:20 a.m. ET July 8: The death toll in the flash flooding now stands at 105, with at least 23 people missing, CNN reported.

104 confirmed dead

Update 7:48 a.m. ET July 8: Texas authorities said the death toll from the July 4 flash flooding is more than 100, The Associated Press reported.

Kerr County had the highest number of deaths, with at least 84 people killed, including 28 children, CNN reported.

At the same time, the search for missing or unaccounted-for people continues.

One of those who have not been found was Marble Falls Area Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chief Michael Philips. He is the only person missing in Burnett County, the sheriff said, according to CNN.

Philips was responding to a rescue when he disappeared.

In all, 24 people are still listed as missing, including 10 campers and a counselor from Camp Mystic.

More help was on the way to lend a hand during the search. California, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Colorado made arrangements to send teams to assist in search and rescue operations, CNN reported.

One thing that hasn’t helped was private drones being sent into the air. A no-fly zone has been set up in a portion of Kerr County until the search is done, The New York Times reported.

A helicopter that had been flying as part of the ongoing search efforts had to make an emergency landing when it crashed into a drone in restricted airspace.

A no-fly area around part of the Guadalupe River is in effect until July 13, prohibiting aircraft lower than 2,500 feet unless it is part of a search, rescue and recovery mission, the Times reported.

[ Texas flooding: How you can help  ]

At least 90 dead

Update 2:22 p.m. ET July 7: The overall death toll across Texas has risen to at least 90 people, CNN reported. Fifteen people are still missing, including 10 campers and one counselor from Camp Mystic.

The New York Times reported on Monday afternoon that the death toll statewide was at least 88, while The Washington Post said it was “at least 90 people.” The Associated Press said it was at least 89 people.

The death toll is expected to rise, the AP reported.

Crews from several other areas are being sent for the search and recovery missions.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry sent 14 swift-water rescue personnel to the area, The Washington Post reported. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is also sending crews to help, the AP reported.

More rain was expected to fall on the area on Monday. Some areas will have no rainfall while others will have up to 10 inches, The New York Times reported. The Weather Prediction Center said that there could be more flash flooding due to the storms, saying “any storms that move across this extremely vulnerable region will rapidly cause flash flooding.”

[ Texas flooding: What we know about the victims from Camp Mystic, others  ]

Original report: The camp’s operators wrote on its website, “Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy. We are praying for them constantly.”

The search for those who are still missing continues, CNN reported.

“We ask for your continued prayers, respect and privacy for each of our families affected. May the Lord continue to wrap His presence around all of us,” the statement continued.

The camp was described on its website as “a private Christian summer camp for girls. Established in 1926, Mystic is nestled among cypress, live oak, and pecan trees in the hill country of west-central Texas on the banks of the beautiful Guadalupe River. Mystic is located near the geographical center of Texas, 18 miles northwest of Kerrville. The staff at Mystic strives to provide young girls with a wholesome Christian atmosphere in which they can develop outstanding personal qualities and self-esteem.”

In less than two hours, water from the river rose 26 feet as the campers slept, The Associated Press.

The AP said that the region is “naturally prone to flash flooding” because the land is made up of packed, dry dirt that allows the water to pour across it instead of being soaked up.

The storm that swamped the area dumped most of the 12 inches of water in the “dark early morning hours,” the AP reported. A flood watch notice was sent Thursday afternoon, with the National Weather Service issuing an urgent warning at 4 a.m.

Camp Mystic was not told to evacuate and was not alerted to the danger before 4 a.m. on July 4, with officials saying that people may end up ignoring alerts when there are too many flooding warnings or forecasts don’t turn out as severe as expected, the AP reported.

“We went to bed thinking it was just a normal thunderstorm. One minute you see lightning strike next to your cabin, and next to you, you hear water’s coming up,” camper Callie McAlary, 16, said, according to Fox News.

“And you have kids running just trying to get to other cabins, trying to get to safety. And luckily, my cabin was one of the few cabins that did not get water, but the cabins in front of us did get some water.”

“We heard one second, it was really bad thunder. I woke up to a big giant sound of thunder and lightning striking,” McAlary said, according to Fox News. “We heard one of the campers run in and say, ‘Hey, our cabin is flooding.’ I knew some girls slept on trunks that night, some girls had to share beds, some girls slept on floors because they couldn’t go back to their cabin because it was so flooded in three cabins.”

Survivors said the flood was a “pitch black wall of death” and that they had no warning of the impending flooding. Officials are calling it a “100-year flood” that they didn’t expect to have water levels as high as they were when looking at historical records. Kerry County Judge Rob Kelly, who lives next to the Guadalupe River, said, “nobody saw this coming.”

At least 82 people are confirmed dead and 41 people are still missing, including 10 campers and a counselor from Camp Mystic, CNN reported.