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At least 27 people are dead in Texas floods as the search continues for the missing: Officials

At least 27 people are dead in Texas floods as the search continues for the missing: Officials

Economic Times7 hours ago
Scores of rescuers were searching Saturday for children from a girls' camp and many others who were still missing after a wall of water rushed down a river in the Texas Hill Country during a powerful storm that killed at least 27 people, officials said. Among the dead were nine children. The destructive fast-moving waters along the Guadalupe River rose 26 feet (8 meters) in just 45 minutes before dawn Friday, washing away homes and vehicles. The danger was not over as more heavy rains were expected Saturday and flash flood warnings and watches remained in effect for parts of central Texas. Some 27 people were missing from Camp Mystic, Dalton Rice, city manager, said at a press conference Saturday. An unknown number of people at other locations were still unaccounted for. "People need to know today will be a hard day," said Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring, Jr. Searchers used helicopters, boats and drones to look for victims and to rescue stranded people. The total number of missing was not known but one sheriff said about 24 of them were girls who had been attending Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along the river.
Frantic parents and families posted photos of missing loved ones and pleas for information. "The camp was completely destroyed," said Elinor Lester, 13, one of hundreds of campers at Camp Mystic. "A helicopter landed and started taking people away. It was really scary." A raging storm woke up her cabin just after midnight Friday, and when rescuers arrived, they tied a rope for the girls to hold as they walked across a bridge with floodwaters whipping around their legs, she said. Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said 27 were confirmed dead, including nine children. Authorities said about 850 people had been rescued.
The flooding in the middle of the night on the Fourth of July holiday caught many residents, campers and officials by surprise. The Texas Hill Country, which sits northwest of San Antonio, is a popular destination for camping and swimming, especially around the summertime holiday.
AccuWeather said the private forecasting company and the National Weather Service sent warnings about potential flash flooding hours before the devastation. "These warnings should have provided officials with ample time to evacuate camps such as Camp Mystic and get people to safety," AccuWeather said in a statement that called the Texas Hill County one of the most flash-flood-prone areas of the U.S. because of its terrain and many water crossings. Officials defended their actions Friday while saying they had not expected such an intense downpour that was the equivalent of months' worth of rain for the area. One National Weather Service forecast earlier in the week had called for up to six inches (152 millimeters) of rain, said Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management. "It did not predict the amount of rain that we saw," he said. Helicopters, drones used in frantic search for missing A river gauge near Camp Mystic recorded a 22 foot rise (6.7 meters) in about two hours, said Bob Fogarty, meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Austin/San Antonio office. The gauge failed after recording a level of 29 and a half feet (9 meters). "The water's moving so fast, you're not going to recognize how bad it is until it's on top of you," Fogarty said. More than 1,000 rescuers were on the ground. Rescue teams, helicopters and drones were being used, with some people being plucked from trees. U.S. Coast Guard helicopters were flying in to assist. 'Pitch black wall of death' In Ingram, Erin Burgess woke to thunder and rain in the middle of the night Friday. Just 20 minutes later, water was pouring into her home from the river, she said. She described an agonizing hour clinging to a tree with her teenage son and waiting for the water to recede enough to walk up the hill to safety. "Thankfully he's over 6 feet tall. That's the only thing that saved me, was hanging on to him," she said. "My son and I floated to a tree where we hung onto it, and my boyfriend and my dog floated away. He was lost for a while, but we found them," she said. Matthew Stone, 44, of Kerrville, said police came knocking on doors but that he had received no warning on his phone. "We got no emergency alert. There was nothing," Stone said. Then "a pitch black wall of death." 'I was scared to death' At a reunification center in Ingram, families cried and cheered as loved ones got off rescue vehicles. Two soldiers carried an older woman who could not get down a ladder. Behind her, a woman clutched a small white dog. Later, a girl in a white "Camp Mystic" T-shirt and white socks stood in a puddle, sobbing in her mother's arms. Barry Adelman said water pushed everyone in his three-story house into the attic, including his 94-year-old grandmother and 9-year-old grandson. Water started coming through the attic floor before receding. "I was horrified," he said. "I was having to look at my grandson in the face and tell him everything was going to be OK, but inside I was scared to death." 'No one knew this kind of flood was coming' The forecast for the weekend had called for rain, with a flood watch upgraded to a warning overnight Friday for at least 30,000 people. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said the potential for heavy rain and flooding covered a large area. "Everything was done to give them a heads up that you could have heavy rain, and we're not exactly sure where it's going to land," Patrick said. "Obviously as it got dark last night, we got into the wee morning of the hours, that's when the storm started to zero in." Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, the county's chief elected official, said: "We do not have a warning system." When pushed on why more precautions weren't taken, Kelly said no one knew this kind of flood was coming. More pockets of heavy rains expected The slow-moving storm stuck over central Texas is expected to bring more rain Saturday, with the potential for pockets of heavy downpours and more flooding, said Jason Runyen, of the National Weather Service. The threat could linger overnight and into Sunday morning, he said.
Popular tourism area prone to flooding The area is known as "flash flood alley" because of the hills' thin layer of soil, said Austin Dickson, CEO of the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, which was collecting donations to help nonprofits responding to the disaster. "When it rains, water doesn't soak into the soil," Dickson said. "It rushes down the hill."
River tourism industry is a key part of the Hill Country economy. Well-known, century-old summer camps bring in kids from all over the country, Dickson said. "It's generally a very tranquil river with really beautiful clear blue water that people have been attracted to for generations," Dickson said.
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At least 32 dead in Texas floods as search continues for missing people
At least 32 dead in Texas floods as search continues for missing people

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  • Business Standard

At least 32 dead in Texas floods as search continues for missing people

Rescuers scoured flooded riverbanks littered with mangled trees Saturday and turned over rocks in the search for more than two dozen children from a girls' camp and many others missing after a wall of water blasted down a river in the Texas Hill Country. The storm killed at least 32 people, including 14 children. Some 36 hours after the floods, authorities have still not given a number of how many people in total are still missing beyond the 27 children from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along the river. The destructive fast-moving waters rose 26 feet in just 45 minutes before daybreak Friday, washing away homes and vehicles. The danger was not over as torrential rains continued pounding communities outside San Antonio on Saturday and flash flood warnings and watches remained in effect. Searchers used helicopters, boats and drones to look for victims and to rescue stranded people in trees and from camps isolated by washed-out roads. We will not stop until we find everyone who is missing, Nim Kidd, chief of Texas Department of Emergency Management, said at a press conference Saturday afternoon. Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said the bodies of 32 people had been recovered so far: 18 adults and 14 children. Authorities were coming under growing scrutiny Saturday over whether the camps and residents in places long vulnerable to flooding received proper warning and whether enough preparations were made. The hills along the Guadalupe River in central Texas are dotted with century-old youth camps and campgrounds where generations of families have come to swim and enjoy the outdoors. The area is especially popular around the July Fourth holiday, making it more difficult to know how many are missing. We don't even want to begin to estimate at this time, said City Manager Dalton Rice said on Saturday morning. Raging storm hit camp in middle of the night "The camp was completely destroyed, said Elinor Lester, 13, one of hundreds of campers. A helicopter landed and started taking people away. It was really scary. A raging storm fuelled by incredible amounts of moisture woke up her cabin just after midnight Friday, and when rescuers arrived, they tied a rope for the girls to hold as they walked across a bridge with water whipping around their legs, she said. Frantic parents and families posted photos of missing loved ones and pleas for information. On Saturday, the camp was mostly deserted. Helicopters roared above as a few people looked at the damage, including a pickup truck tossed onto its side and a building missing its entire front wall. Among those confirmed dead were an 8-year-old girl from Mountain Brook, Alabama, who was staying at Camp Mystic, and the director of another camp just up the road. The flooding in the middle of the night caught many residents, campers and officials by surprise in the Hill Country, which sits northwest of San Antonio. AccuWeather said the private forecasting company and the National Weather Service sent warnings about potential flash flooding hours before the devastation. These warnings should have provided officials with ample time to evacuate camps such as Camp Mystic and get people to safety, AccuWeather said in a statement that called the Hill Country one of the most flash-flood-prone areas of the US because of its terrain and many water crossings. Officials defended their actions while saying they had not expected such an intense downpour that was the equivalent of months' worth of rain for the area. One National Weather Service forecast earlier in the week "did not predict the amount of rain that we saw, said Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management. Helicopters, drones used in frantic search for missing Search crews were facing harsh conditions while "looking in every possible location, Rice said. Authorities said about 850 people had been rescued. US Coast Guard helicopters were flying in to assist. One reunification centre at an elementary school was mostly quiet Saturday after taking in hundreds of evacuees the day before. We still have people coming here looking for their loved ones. We've had a little success, but not much, said Bobby Templeton, superintendent of Ingram Independent School District. President Donald Trump said Saturday that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was travelling to Texas and his administration was working with officials on the ground. Melania and I are praying for all of the families impacted by this horrible tragedy, Trump said in a statement on his social media network. Residents clung to trees, fled to attics In Ingram, Erin Burgess woke to thunder and rain in the middle of the night Friday. Just 20 minutes later, water was pouring into her home, she said. She described an agonising hour clinging to a tree with her teenage son. My son and I floated to a tree where we hung onto it, and my boyfriend and my dog floated away. He was lost for a while, but we found them, she said. Barry Adelman said water pushed everyone in his three-story house into the attic, including his 94-year-old grandmother and 9-year-old grandson. I was having to look at my grandson in the face and tell him everything was going to be OK, but inside I was scared to death, he said. Local resident know it as flash flood alley. When it rains, water doesn't soak into the soil, said Austin Dickson, CEO of the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, which was collecting donations. It rushes down the hill. 'No one knew this kind of flood was coming' The forecast for the weekend had called for rain, with a flood watch upgraded to a warning overnight Friday for at least 30,000 people. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said the potential for heavy rain and flooding covered a large area. Everything was done to give them a heads up that you could have heavy rain, and we're not exactly sure where it's going to land," Patrick said. "Obviously as it got dark last night, we got into the wee morning of the hours, that's when the storm started to zero in. Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, the county's chief elected official, said: We do not have a warning system. When pushed on why more precautions weren't taken, Kelly said no one knew this kind of flood was coming. More pockets of heavy rains expected The slow-moving storm is bringing more rain Saturday, with the potential for pockets of heavy downpours and more flooding, said Jason Runyen, of the National Weather Service. The threat could linger overnight and into Sunday morning, he said.

Death toll from Texas flood rises to 43, frantic search for survivors as 27 girls missing
Death toll from Texas flood rises to 43, frantic search for survivors as 27 girls missing

Indian Express

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Death toll from Texas flood rises to 43, frantic search for survivors as 27 girls missing

The fatal flash floods in central Texas has resulted in the death of 43 people, including 15 children, authorities said on Saturday as the frantic search for campers, vacationers and residents was ongoing by the emergency responders. Several people were asleep in the early hours of Friday, when the Guadalupe River rose more than 26 ft (8m) in an hour and turned deadly. Officials informed that about 850 people have been rescued from the floods, some of whom were clinging to trees after a sudden storm brought up to 15 inches of rain near the Guadalupe River, 137 kilometres north west of San Antonio. The weather forecast has suggested that there could be more rain in the area and potentially more floods. What we have seen in the past 24 hours is quintessentially Texan. Texans fight challenges head on, and today is no different. Our first responders will not stop until every missing person is found. — Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) July 5, 2025 Among the missing, officials said, are 27 girls from Kerr county who were a part of the Camp Mystic summer camp, said Kerrville city manager Dalton Rice at a press briefing on Saturday. He further said that there could be others missing beyond that. 'We are kind of looking at this in two ways called the known missing, which is the 27…We will not put a number on the other side because we just don't know,' Rice said, reported Reuters. On Friday morning, heavier than forecast rain drove river waters rapidly to as high as 29 feet and the disaster unfolded in central Texas. According to Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha, eight of the deceased, including three children, are yet to be identified. Among the areas severely hit by the floods, include summer camps, camping sites and mobile homes where most of the people had gathered to celebrate July 4 independence day. In order to boost search efforts, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said that he has signed a declaration for the expanded disaster to boost search efforts. Governor Abbott said, 'Officials would be relentless in ensuring they locate every single person who's been a victim of this event, we will stop when the job is completed.'

Texas floods: Death toll crosses 50 as many summer camp children are still missing, rescue ops continue
Texas floods: Death toll crosses 50 as many summer camp children are still missing, rescue ops continue

First Post

time2 hours ago

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Texas floods: Death toll crosses 50 as many summer camp children are still missing, rescue ops continue

At least 51 people, including many children, have died in devastating flash floods across central Texas, officials said on Saturday. Rescue teams are still searching for dozens of missing people, including 27 girls from a summer camp swept away by rising waters. read more A flood gauge marks the height of water flowing over a farm-to-market road near Kerrville, Texas, on Friday, July 4, 2025. AP At least 51 people have died in the state so far, many of them children, following flash floods in central Texas, authorities said on Saturday as rescuers continued a frantic search for campers, vacationers and residents who were still missing. Rescue teams continued searching riverbanks on Saturday, now covered with broken trees, overturned cars, and muddy debris, in a desperate effort to find missing people. Among them are more than two dozen girls who vanished after their summer camp was hit by a powerful flash flood. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD More than 36 hours after the disaster, officials have still not confirmed the total number of people missing, except for 27 girls from Camp Mystic—a Christian summer camp on the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, where most of the victims have been found. The floodwaters surged 26 feet (8 metres) in just 45 minutes before sunrise on Friday, sweeping away homes and vehicles. The threat isn't over, as heavy rain continued to pound areas near San Antonio on Saturday, with flash flood warnings still in effect. Rescuers have been using helicopters, boats, and drones to search for victims and help people trapped in trees or stranded at isolated camps. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said authorities would keep working non-stop to search for the missing and expand the search as waters recede. More rain also fell around Austin, and the search intensified across the surrounding Hill Country. In Travis County, where the state capital is located, three people have died and ten are still missing. Two more deaths were reported in Burnet County. One firefighter is among the missing after being swept away during a rescue mission, according to Emergency Management Coordinator Derek Marchio. Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha confirmed that 32 bodies have been recovered so far in the Hill Country—18 adults and 14 children. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Officials are now facing questions about whether enough warnings were given to camps and residents in flood-prone areas and if proper safety measures were in place.

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