BREAKING NEWS Incredible story of little summer camp girl clinging on for dear life in a tree after being swept 12 MILES down flooded river... as death toll hits 24 and dozens still missing
The terrified youngster was pictured clinging to the branches of a tree as the rapids swelled beneath her.
The girl, who is yet to be identified, was later taken to safety, News 4 San Antonio reports.
A separate video showed a helicopter airlifting an individual to safety after the unprecedented floods hit Texas yesterday.
Kerr County was ravaged by fast-moving waters which decimated a summer camp leaving over 20 girls unaccounted for.
Officials have launched a massive rescue effort to locate dozens of missing individuals.
The names of those killed have not been shared, but the final death toll is expected to rise substantially as floodwaters recede.
Among those feared dead are children who were staying at Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas, after the Guadalupe River flooded and surged by up to 30 feet above its usual water level Friday.
Identities of the missing have begun to emerge as stricken families share photos of their loved ones in the hopes of learning information about their whereabouts.
Terrified parents of those missing said they have been left in limbo as they await news from the ongoing searches, with the mother of one missing young campers, Janie Hunt, 9, saying: 'We are just praying.'
Officials have stressed they hope to rescue many of the missing and say they're still hopeful of finding most of those missing safe and well.
But the sheer scale of destruction - with buildings ripped from their foundations and cars swept away like toys - suggests that may be an overly optimistic prediction.
At a press conference late on Friday evening, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said the floods had been devastating, and declared that 'we need God more than ever.'
'It needs God, but it also needs a robust response... searches will continue in the darkness of night, and they will continue' into the early hours of Saturday, Abbott said.
'We'll put in everything we have in the entire state.'
At least 14 helicopters, 12 drones and more than 500 people from various units have joined search efforts, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said at the presser.
Over 150 people were airlifted from danger during the extensive search and rescue efforts by Texas authorities throughout Friday.
Officials said at the press conference on Friday night that a total of 237 people were rescued by authorities through the day, with many more still unaccounted for.
President Donald Trump also broke his silence on the devastating floods in Texas, as he pledged to fully support the ongoing recovery efforts.
'It's terrible, the floods, it's shocking,' he said late Friday evening.
Trump was asked by reporters if he would provide federal aid to the area, to which he responded: 'We'll take care of them.'
'It's a terrible thing,' he added.
The remarks came as footage from the ongoing searches of the Guadalupe River show a helicopter heroically saving someone from the flood damage.
The footage showed a person being hoisted from the river as one of 14 helicopters deployed during the searches lifted them to safety.
As some families were left in limbo awaiting their children at reunification centers, parent Serena Hanor Aldrich told the New York Times that she was thankful her two daughters, aged 9 and 12, were rescued during the floods, but said the camp runners should have been ready for the torrential rainfall.
'They should have been watching the Texas Division of Emergency Management and Kerr County,' she said.
'They were posting stuff yesterday morning. They should have been on top of it.'
She said her daughters were safe because they were in camps that were on higher ground, but Camp Mystic runs a number of campsites along the Guadalupe River that were overwhelmed by flood waters.
'There are still campers missing,' Aldrich said at a reunification center, where other parents were still waiting for their children to return.
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The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Texas flooding latest: Two sisters among 51 dead as desperate search for campers swept away enters third day
Four girls missing from a summer camp were found dead as a desperate search for dozens of other campers continues after devastating floods hit Texas, killing at least 51. At least 15 children were killed as a result of what Texas GOP Congressman Chip Roy called a 'once-in-a-century flood.' More than 850 people from around the region have been rescued or evacuated, officials said Saturday. Two girls — 13-year-old Blair and 11-year-old Brooke — were among those killed by the floods, their father told CNN on Saturday night. Harber said Blair 'was a gifted student and had a generous, kind heart,' and described Brooke as 'like a light in any room, people gravitated to her and she made them laugh and enjoy the moment.' There are also 27 girls still missing from Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp along the Guadalupe River that was ravaged by the floods, officials said. At least four girls who attended Camp Mystic have been confirmed dead, according to reports, marking a tragic end to a day-long search. The unexpected flash flooding struck on Friday after torrential rain along the Guadalupe River. The destructive force of the fast-rising waters just before dawn on Friday washed out homes and swept away vehicles. Alex Croft6 July 2025 08:08 Witness recalls 'indescribable' moment of the flooding Tonia Fucci, a Pennsylvania resident visiting her grandmother for the Independence Day weekend, woke early on Friday to the sound of heavy rain "coming down in buckets." "It's indescribable, the sounds, of how loud they were, which turned out to be ... the massive cypress trees that came down along the river," she told a Reuters reporter in an interview the next day. Ms Fucci filmed on her phone a torrent of muddy water flooding the road to her grandmother's house and two recreational vehicles in a parking lot, with their wheels submerged in water. "I'm still in shock today," Fucci told Reuters news agency. "There's so many missing children and missing people. You just want them to be found for the sake of the families. But, you know, it's not going to be a good ending... There's no way people could have survived the swiftness of the water." Ms Fucci said she had received National Weather alerts on her phone hours after the flood had already hit. The residents of the town had to rely on one another, as they ran to their neighbors to see who needed help before rescue teams arrived. "Something I've never seen before. You knew it was tragedy," Ms Fucci said. Alex Croft6 July 2025 07:47 ICYMI: Congressman reunited with daughters after flooding Representative August Pfluger shared that he and his wife were reunited with their two daughters, who were attending Camp Mystic. 'Camille, Vivian and I are now reunited with Caroline and Juliana who were evacuated from Camp Mystic,' he wrote. 'The last day has brought unimaginable grief to many families and we mourn with them as well as holding out hope for survivors.' Katie Hawkinson6 July 2025 07:00 Texas officials question scaled-back Weather Service's actions on the night of the floods - but experts say the agency did all it could Texas officials are questioning the actions of the National Weather Service leading up to Friday's deadly floods, as fellow meteorologists defend the agency. Some state and local officials say the NWS didn't provide accurate forecasts ahead of Friday's destructive flooding, months after President Donald Trump's administration gutted the agency and experts warned forecasts could suffer. Keep reading: Texas officials question NWS actions amid floods as experts defend the agency Local lawmakers admitted that 'there's going to be a lot of finger-pointing' over what went wrong before the devastating floods Katie Hawkinson6 July 2025 05:00 62-year-old woman found dead in San Angelo A 62-year-old woman was found dead amid floodwaters in San Angelo, Texas. Tanya Burwick's body was recovered several blocks from her submerged car, the San Angelo Police Department said. Katie Hawkinson6 July 2025 04:25 Death toll rises to 52 Fifty-two people have been killed by the disastrous flooding in central Texas, according to a new tally Saturday evening by T he New York Times. Katie Hawkinson6 July 2025 03:53 Trump 'heartbroken' over Texas flooding Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said President Donald Trump is 'heartbroken' over the Texas flooding. 'Know that President Trump is absolutely heartbroken by what's happened here in Texas,' Noem said. 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Katie Hawkinson6 July 2025 03:25 Photos of rescue teams searching for missing campers after Texas Hill Country flash flood Photos of rescue teams searching for missing campers after Texas Hill Country flash flood A powerful flash flood swept through Texas Hill Country, causing widespread devastation and leading to the deaths of multiple adults and children. Search and rescue teams using helicopters, boats and drones are working nonstop to find survivors and victims. Camp Mystic, a Christian girls summer camp, was especially hard hit, with many campers still missing. Katie Hawkinson6 July 2025 02:45 How the Texas Hill Country flood went from small water flow to deadly tide in a matter of hours A powerful flash flood hit Central Texas' Hill Country late Friday into early Saturday, leaving at least 27 people dead, including children, while many more are still missing. Most of the missing were attending Camp Mystic, a popular summer camp along the Guadalupe River. What began as a routine flood watch quickly turned into a deadly disaster. The National Weather Service predicted between 1 and 3 inches of rain, with some isolated spots possibly getting 5 to 7 inches. Instead, parts of Kerr County were slammed with 10 to 15 inches, and in some places, over 20 inches, within a few hours. Keep reading: How Texas Hill Country flood turned deadly in just hours A flash flood in the Texas Hill Country killed at least 27 and left many missing, mostly campers from Camp Mystic on the Guadalupe River. 6 July 2025 02:30
BreakingNews.ie
an hour ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Texas floods leave at least 51 dead, 27 girls missing as rescue efforts continue
Rescuers were continuing to scour a devastated central Texas landscape of mangled trees, overturned cars and muck-filled debris in an increasingly bleak mission to locate survivors. The flooding in Kerr County killed at least 43 people, including 15 children, and at least eight people died in nearby counties. Advertisement Among the missing are 27 girls who have not been seen since their camp was hit by a wall of water in a historic flash flood. Debris on a bridge over the Guadalupe River after the flooding (Julio Cortez/AP) Authorities have not said how many people are missing beyond the children from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along a river in Kerr County, where most of the dead were recovered. The destructive, fast-moving waters rose 26 feet on the Guadalupe River in just 45 minutes before daybreak on Friday, washing away homes and vehicles. The danger was not over as rains continued pounding communities outside San Antonio on Saturday and flash flood warnings and watches remained in effect. Advertisement Searchers used helicopters, boats and drones to look for victims and to rescue people stranded in trees and from camps isolated by washed-out roads. Governor Greg Abbott vowed that authorities would work around the clock and said new areas were being searched as the water receded. He declared Sunday a day of prayer for the state. Fast-moving waters rose 26 feet in 45 minutes, washing away homes and vehicles (Eric Gay/AP) 'I urge every Texan to join me in prayer this Sunday — for the lives lost, for those still missing, for the recovery of our communities, and for the safety of those on the front lines,' he said in a statement. Advertisement Authorities were coming under scrutiny about whether the camps and residents in places long vulnerable to flooding had 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 swum and spent time outdoors. The area is especially popular around the July 4 holiday, making it more difficult to know how many are missing. 'We don't even want to begin to estimate at this time,' Kerrville city manager Dalton Rice said previously. Advertisement
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Heartbreak as first details of Texas flooding victims emerge
Devastating floods in Central Texas have claimed the lives of at least 51 people, including 15 children. The catastrophic flooding was triggered by unexpected torrential downpours on Friday evening, causing the Guadalupe River to rise rapidly. The disaster severely impacted Camp Mystic, an all-girls summer camp, where several children were killed and 27 were initially reported missing. Identified victims include young campers such as Renee Smajstrla, Sarah Marsh, Janie Hunt, and Lila Bonner, as well as adults like camp director Jane Ragsdale and Julian Ryan, who died saving his family. The floods destroyed homes and swept away vehicles, with authorities continuing to identify and release details of the deceased.
