BREAKING: Missing Camp Girl Found Alive 12 Miles Downriver as Catastrophic Floods Slam Central Texas

In a rare moment of hope amid widespread devastation, a young girl reported missing from a local summer camp was found alive, 12 miles downstream along the flood-swollen Guadalupe River. Her rescue came as torrential rains unleashed some of the worst flooding the region has experienced in more than three decades.

Beginning late Thursday, an unrelenting storm system dumped over seven inches of rain across Kerr County and surrounding areas. By early Friday, the Guadalupe River had surged to over 29 feet — the second-highest level ever recorded in the region — flooding roads, overwhelming low-lying areas, and catching residents and authorities off guard.

According to meteorologists, the downpour marked the most intense rainfall central Texas has seen since the early 1990s, fueled by a stalled weather front drawing in tropical moisture from the Gulf. The storm rapidly escalated into a disaster, triggering flash flood warnings and emergency alerts across multiple counties.

“It was like watching the river come alive and swallow everything in its path,” said local resident Angie Molina, whose home near Hunt sits just a few hundred feet from the riverbank. “One moment the river was calm, and then by nightfall, it was a raging monster.”

As the situation grew dire, the National Weather Service issued a regional flood watch. Not long after, emergency sirens blared through small towns dotting the riverbanks, warning of the potential for life-threatening flooding. Campgrounds, RV parks, and small communities were urged to evacuate or seek higher ground.

Among the most urgent concerns was the report of a missing camper—a young girl whose name has not been released—believed to have been swept away when the riverbank near her summer camp gave way. Search and rescue efforts were launched immediately, with over a dozen helicopters, swift-water boats, and ground crews mobilized across the flood zone.

“The terrain was extremely difficult, and time was critical,” said Captain Dana Hargrove with the Texas Search and Rescue Task Force. “Roads were submerged, communications were down in some areas, and the current was too strong for traditional search methods.”

Against the odds, the girl was found Friday afternoon, clinging to debris along a bend in the river nearly 12 miles from where she was last seen. Paramedics on site reported that while she was exhausted, dehydrated, and visibly shaken, she was alive and conscious. She was transported to a nearby hospital for observation and treatment.

Officials are calling her survival miraculous.

“This is one of the few bright spots in what has otherwise been a devastating 48 hours,” said Freeman F. Martin, Director of the Texas Department of Public Safety. “We are grateful for the tireless work of the search teams, and even more grateful that this child is alive.”

Despite the successful rescue, the overall outlook remains grim. Several other individuals remain unaccounted for, and authorities have confirmed multiple fatalities related to the flood. Dozens of families have been displaced, and hundreds of homes have sustained damage or have been completely submerged.

Local officials say the region will take weeks—if not months—to recover, with power outages, water contamination, and destroyed infrastructure complicating the response.

“We’re still in the middle of this disaster,” Martin added. “And we’re asking people to stay alert, follow local guidance, and look out for one another.”

As skies begin to clear, emergency crews continue to sweep the area, searching for survivors and providing aid to those affected. Shelters have been opened across the region to house the displaced, and volunteers are pouring in with donations of food, clothing, and supplies.

For now, the story of one girl’s survival offers a sliver of hope in a landscape marked by loss—and a reminder of the fragile line between tragedy and miracle.