Terrifying vid shows Texas river swallow bridge & swell to bursting in just 2 MINUTES as 51 dead & 27 children missing
At least 51 people have died and two dozens girls are missing after
homes
and
summer
camps - and dozens are still missing.
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The bridge seen before the floods arrived
Credit: Twitter
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The bridge along with the road and lots of trees were soon completely submerged
Credit: Twitter
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Locals watched from the road as the bridge disappeared
Credit: Twitter
Timelapse footage of the Llano river shows the terrifying pace at which the water rose.
A road bridge crosses the river, which is filled with rocks, islands and trees.
Suddenly, a wall of water cascades down the river.
The surface level rises sharply - and in under two minutes the bridge is totally submerged.
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All but the top leaves of the very tallest trees along the river disappear as thousands of tons of water flood through the valley.
Locals on the ground - including public safety officials - captured the bridge disappearing from ground level.
They are repeatedly forced to seek higher ground as the torrent climbs up the river bank.
Rescuers are still scouring the devastated landscape in central Texas, but hopes of finding survivors are fast dwindling.
Most read in The US Sun
About a third of a year's worth of rain fell in a few short hours, completely overwhelming the waterways and creating an "extraordinary catastrophe".
Catastrophic scenes after freak deluge wipes out vast area & several still missing
Larry Leitha, Kerr County sheriff, said: "We have recovered 43 deceased individuals in Kerr County. Among these who are deceased we have 28 adults and 15 children."
Dalton Rice, Kerville city manager, said on Saturday: "We've been rescuing people out of these camps by the hundreds. There's a lot of folks that are shelter in place, so we leave them in place to make sure that we get them food, water."
Multiple people lost their lives in other counties, bringing the current confirmed death toll to 51 - though this is sadly expected to rise.
The most desperate search is for a group of school-age girls who went missing from Camp Mystic - a Christian summer camp near the river.
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The heartbreaking scene in Camp Mystic, from dozens of girls went missing
Credit: AFP
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Damage to a home near the Guadeloupe River
Credit: AFP
Heartbreaking photos from the wrecked site show sodden mattresses and teddies strewn across dormitories.
On Saturday, Sheriff Leitha said 27 of the children were still missing.
The parents of all
the missing
children have been notified - and many turned to social media to share desperate pleas for information about their girls.
Local reports suggest that up to five girls have been confirmed as dead, citing their families.
Janie Hunt, 9, was among the dead, her distraught mother told
A relative of nine-year-old Renee Smajstrla revealed on Facebook that the girls's body had been found.
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Campers and families hug after being reunited at a center
Credit: AP
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People comfort each other outside a community center in Kerr County
Credit: AP
Shawna Salta wrote: "We are thankful she was with her friends and having the time of her life, as evidenced by this picture from yesterday."
Lila Bonner's
family
also statement confirming her death.
They wrote: "In the midst of our unimaginable grief, we ask for privacy and are unable to confirm any details at this time.
"We ache with all who loved her and are praying endlessly."
Lila shared a cabin with her best friend Eloise Peck, 8, who also lost her life.
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The countryside was gutted by the force of the floods
Credit: EPA
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Rescue teams comb the area along the river on Saturday
Credit: Getty
Her mom, Missy Peck, told
dogs
and animals.
'She passed away with her cabinmate and best friend Lila Bonner who also died.
"Eloise had a family who loved her fiercely for the 8 years she was with us. Especially her Mommy.'
Camp Mystic's owner and director Dick Eastland is amongst those confirmed to have died.
Elsewhere in Texas, four people were confirmed dead in Travis County, northeast of Kerr, and 13 people were missing, according to public information office director Hector Nieto.
The total number of people missing is still unknown.
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The Irish Sun
3 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Haunting pics of empty Camp Mystic bunkbeds after 27 girls & counselors killed in horror Texas floods & 11 still missing
HORRIFYING pictures show the aftermath of the Texas floods at Camp Mystic, where dozens of girls and counselors died after being swept away by the rising waters. At least Advertisement 14 One of the hardest hit spots was Camp Mystic - a girls' summer camp where 27 students and counselors were killed Credit: AFP 14 Campee's belongings lie on the ground at Camp Mystic Credit: Reuters 14 A search and rescue volunteer holds a T-shirt and backpack with the words Camp Mystic on them Credit: Getty 14 Homes were destroyed by flash flooding that blew through Kerr County, Texas, throughout the July 4 weekend Credit: AFP 14 Little Sarah Marsh was one of the girls killed by the rising tides Credit: Facebook 14 Ella Cahill is one of the girls who remains missing Credit: FOX4 One of the worst-hit areas was Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp located dangerously close to the flooding shores, which was overwhelmed when the river rose 26 feet in 45 minutes. Ten girls and a counselor attending the camp are still missing. They make up a heart-wrenching portion of the 41 people who are unaccounted for across the state. What we know so far... Torrential rain sparked At least Five million Texans are Families of some Camp Mystic girls have A woman was rescued after being washed 20 miles downstream Two brothers told of their The victims include the niece of the Kansas City Chiefs' owners, a dad who died while read more on the floods Chilling photos of the flooding aftermath at the camp show piles of abandoned sleeping bags strewn across the cabins. Advertisement Bunkbeds were left askew by the rushing waters, and everything inside the buildings was covered with layers of mud and sediment. Survivors of the tragedy have started to open up about the chaotic mission to escape the waters after being surprised by the flash floods early Friday morning. Glenn Juenke, a security guard at the camp, said that he had to throw girls on top of floating mattresses to save them from drowning. Most read in The US Sun Exclusive Exclusive But despite witnessing the death and destruction, he said he was struck by the "courage and faith" shown by the young girls. Advertisement "Each of those sweet girls [were] cold, wet, and frightened - but they were also incredibly brave," he told Camp Mystic director's tragic final act to save girls from Texas floods as wall of water tore through cabins killing 27 "They trusted me, and we leaned on each other through a long, harrowing night together inside their cabin." The camp's director was among those who lost their lives after desperately trying to save young girls in a heartbreaking final act. Dick Eastland and his wife, Tweety, were the third-generation of their family to manage the camp, having bought it in 1974. Advertisement Eastland's grandson, George, revealed his grandpa had died when the water crashed through the walls of the cabins. 'If he wasn't going to die of natural causes, this was the only other way—saving the girls that he so loved and cared for,' he wrote on 'That's the kind of man my grandfather was. He was a husband, father, grandfather, and a mentor to thousands of young women. 'Although he no longer walks this earth, his impact will never fade in the lives he touched.' Advertisement Eastland, who had previously fought brain cancer, was found dead near his car, as reported by the Tweety, meanwhile, was found safe at the family home. Paige Sumner, a family friend, has led the tributes to the camp director. She said the girls at the camp looked up to Eastland as if he was a 'father figure,' in an op-ed to the Advertisement 'Dick and Tweety were also role models in their loving relationship,' she penned. 'When we looked at them, they were still that much in love.' 14 14 Belongings were strewn along the ground and covered in mud after the flooding Credit: AFP Advertisement 14 Items from inside a cabin sit on the ground at Camp Mystic, in the aftermath of deadly flooding in Kerr County, Texas, U.S., July 7, 2025. REUTERS/Sergio Flores Credit: Reuters 14 Chairs lie inside a damaged room in a cabin at Camp Mystic in the aftermath of deadly flooding in Kerr County, Texas, U.S., July 7, 2025. REUTERS/Sergio Flores Credit: Reuters 14 Items from inside a cabin sit on the ground at Camp Mystic Credit: Reuters 14 Rescue teams cut through the debris in the desperate search for survivors Credit: Getty Advertisement Callie McAlary, a 16-year-old camper, described the terrifying moment she realized that this wasn't a normal thunderstorm. "One minute you see lightning strike next to your cabin, and next to you, you hear water's coming up," she told Callie said that she watched in horror as girls rushed across the campgrounds to try to get into cabins that weren't being filled with water. "It was really bad thunder," she said. Advertisement "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." As the water rose in the middle of the night, Callie said she decided to put a name tag on her body in case her cabin was "next." "In my head I was saying, 'If something does happen, and I do get swept away, at least I'll have my name on my body.'" Advertisement Callie's family is from Texas, but they now live in Virginia. Her parents said that they wanted to send her to Camp Mystic so she could stay in touch with her roots. Tara Bradburn, Callie's mother, said that she was overwhelmed by how much the staff did to try and protect the girls. "What the men and the staff and the Eastland family did to try and help everyone that they could - they are heroes," she told Fox News. Advertisement "And those young girls and those young counselors that our young girls were under for the summer were remarkable and were brave and were strong and saved so many children." As of Monday afternoon, five million were still under flood warnings in Texas with fears 10 inches of rain could fall in some parts of the state. Governor Greg Abbott said officiala aren't expecting anything "to the magnitude of what was seen in Kerrville" but said there's still a threat of more flash flooding events. Slow-moving showers are creeping across the region with warnings expected to stay active into Monday evening. Advertisement As the fourth day of searches comes to a close, brave crews refuse to give up hope that survivors are waiting to be saved. "We will never presume they're dead," Jake Stovall, the founder of Gulf Search and Rescue, told CNN and vowed to keep working the scene for up to 15 days. Legislators across the US are directing rescue crews to help search for more survivors. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis confirmed he's sending water rescue crews and was "happy to step up." Advertisement "Texas has helped us when we've had different issues throughout the years," he said at a news conference. Meanwhile, Nebraska is sending a 45-member search and rescue team with two canine teams and boats. President Donald Trump is also expected to visit the flood site on Friday. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump would be investigating the "once in a generation national disaster" and urged everyone to "remain vigilant." Advertisement While central Texas recovers from the devastating floods, tropical storm Chantal also dumping rain on North Carolina and moving up through the northeast. Residents in central parts of the southern state were left stranded and waiting for rescue crews to save them from their flooded homes after the storm hit on Monday. At least 10 inches of rain poured onto parts of North Carolina, leaving some drivers trapped on the roads and highways shut down, according to the 14 Callie McAlary, 16, described the moment she realized the flooding wasn't a normal storm Credit: Fox News Advertisement 14 She and her mother opened up about the heroes who helped save dozens of lives Credit: Fox News
Irish Independent
3 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Twin eight-year-old girls, a beloved soccer coach and camp director among those killed in Texas floods as death toll climbs to 95
LATEST | At least 95 people have died in the flooding across the state, according to local officialsA Christian summer camp said 27 girls and staff members had been killed in the disasterIn Hill Country, where the worst flooding occurred, up to four more inches of rain is expected to fallDozens more people remain missing as the search for survivors enters a fourth dayWhite House dismisses suggestions that Trump administration cuts may have affected authorities' response to the flooding ©Associated Press Today at 17:23 Two eight-year-old sisters from Dallas who had just completed 2nd grade. A beloved soccer coach and teacher. An Alabama elementary school student away from home. These are a few of the dozens of victims lost in devastating flash floods in central Texas. The flooding originated from the fast-moving waters of the Guadalupe River on Friday, with local officials now putting the death toll at 95.
Irish Independent
6 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Texas floods: Death toll rises to 91 as ‘significant' downpours forecast
LATEST | The White House has confirmed 91 total fatalitiesA Christian summer camp said 27 girls and staff members had been killed in the disasterIn Hill Country, where the worst flooding occurred, up to four more inches of rain is expected to fallDozens more people remain missing as the search for survivors enters a fourth dayWhite House dismisses suggestions that Trump administration cuts may have affected authorities' response to the flooding ©Associated Press More 'significant' downpours are likely across parts of Texas hill country later today after catastrophic flash flooding last week left dozens of people dead. A Christian summer camp has confirmed that 27 girls and staff members had been killed in the disaster along the Guadalupe River in central Texas. The White House confirmed 91 total fatalities.
