Flash floods in Texas: at least 27 dead and 20 girls missing
About 10 inches of rain fell early on Friday, bursting the banks of the Guadalupe River in an area of Kerr County known as 'flash flood alley' due to its vulnerability to sudden downpours.
Texas officials said a massive search operation had been launched, with girls from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp, among the missing.
Desperate parents pleaded for updates on social media while residents in Kerr County said they received no warning that disaster was imminent. Some 850 uninjured people have been rescued so far.
At a press conference on Saturday, Larry Leitha, the Kerr County sheriff, said police 'will not stop' until every single person is found.'
'We've got all the resources we need. We're here for the long haul. As I said, numbers will be changing rapidly,' Leitha said.
A shelter has been set up for the general public who need assistance.
Amid fears the death toll could rise significantly, the National Weather Service warned early on Saturday morning that river levels were rising sharply again and that a 'very dangerous flash flooding threat' was ongoing in the area north of Austin.
REUTERS
'So many people have been swept up into an extraordinary catastrophe,' Abbott said at a press conference. 'We need to continue to invoke God almighty.'
President Trump was informed of the unfolding tragedy and offered the full support of the federal government, state officials said. Trump told reporters on Friday night: 'It's terrible, the floods. It's shocking.'
The area affected was filled with children's summer camps, though most had managed to avoid the worst of the flooding, according to officials.
Camp Mystic is a private Christian summer camp for girls established almost a century ago. It sits in the hill country of Texas on the banks of the Guadalupe River. About 750 children were at the camp when the river rose 26 feet in just 45 minutes, officials said.
One of the girls at the camp, 13-year-old Elinor Lester, told the AP news agency her group were woken by the storm at about 1.30am before rescuers arrived to lead them to safety. 'The camp was completely destroyed,' she said. 'A helicopter landed and started taking people away. It was really scary.'
Her brother, who was staying at another camp nearby, also escaped after staff opened a window in their cabin so the children could swim to safety. Their mother, Elizabeth Lester, said: 'My kids are safe, but knowing others are still missing is just eating me alive.'
Two other camps, La Junta and Waldemar, said in social media posts that all of their guests and staff were safe. Among those who managed to escape were Piers Boyett and his brother Ruffin. 'The flood started getting bigger,' Piers told the local TV station KSAT. 'We have bunk beds in our cabin, and it was going to the top bunk. We had one choice, and we had to swim out of our cabins.'
The National Weather Service had warned of heavy rain before issuing an alert on social media at 4am on Friday about the 'very dangerous flash flooding event' in the area.
However, residents complained that they were given no warning of the impending catastrophe.
Matthew Stone, 44, of Kerrville, the county seat, said police came knocking on doors at 5.30am. 'We got no emergency alert. There was nothing,' Stone told the AP. Then, 'a pitch black wall of death'.
Kerr County judge Rob Kelly insisted that officials were not aware the flood was coming, but added that the area flooded all the time. 'This is the most dangerous river valley in the United States,' he said.
Erin Burgess's home sits directly across from the Guadalupe River in Ingram, a city about 75 miles from San Antonio.
A helicopter flies over the Guadalupe River in Kerrville
ERIC GAY/AP
She woke up to thunder at 3.30am on Friday but believed the heavy rain to be 'no big deal'. However, 20 minutes later water was coming through the walls and rushing through the doors of her home.
Burgess told the AP that she spent an hour clinging to a tree waiting for the water to recede. 'My son and I floated to a tree where we hung on to it, and my boyfriend and my dog floated away. He was lost for a while, but we found them,' she said.
Of her 19-year-old son, Burgess said: 'Thankfully he's over 6ft tall. That's the only thing that saved me, was hanging on to him.'
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Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Summer camp boss died trying to save kids from horror floods as 11 still missing
The death toll now sits at 70 after flooding in Texas, US, caused chaos on Friday and swept away a children's summer camp. Two "best friends" are among the girls who died at Camp Mystic, with 11 still missing. Rescuers are continuing to scour through mangled trees and debris along the swollen Guadalupe River in an increasingly bleak mission to locate survivors. Authorities still have not said how many people are missing beyond the 11 children from Camp Mystic. The death toll is expected to keep rising. The death toll is now at least 70 after searchers found more bodies. The latest death has been reported in Williamson County. Kerrville County Sheriff Larry Leitha has confirmed 59 people, of which 21 are children, have been killed in the county. He added that 11 girls at Camp Mystic as well as one councillor remain unaccounted for. The US National Weather Service in Austin, Texas, extended its "flood watch" warning for some areas until 7pm local time. The warning covers parts of Hill County and "along and east of I-35 corridor," the organisation said in a Facebook post. "Additional rainfall amounts of two-four inches are possible with isolated pockets of 10 inches somewhere in the watch area," it said. "It is very difficult to pinpoint where exactly the isolated heavy amounts will occur in this pattern." A shocking report has suggested the National Weather Service in San Antonion and San Angelo - that cover the Central Texas area hit by flash floods - was experiencing staffing shortages before this weekend. The San Angelo office was missing a senior hydrologist, staff forecaster, and meteorologist in charge, Tom Fahy, the legislative director for the union that represents Weather Service workers told The New York Times. Fahy added that the San Antonion office was missing science officers and a warning coordination meteorologist. The report added that the warning coordination meteorologist at this station had left his post when he took up an early retirement package offered by the Trump government, as part of DOGE's destructive removal of thousands of government employees. The death toll in the Texas flooding tragedy has continued to rise to at least 68 victims, according to The New York Times. This harrowing number rose to nearly 70 today after searchers found more bodies in the hardest-hit Kerr County. These victims included several young girls at a summer camp along the Guadalupe River - whose banks had burst on Thursday night and into Friday morning. Officials have said they will not stop searching until every person is found. More deaths are expected to be counted in this tragedy. The US President, on Truth Social said the families of the people who died in these floods were "enduring an unimaginable tragedy". He said: "Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem was on the ground yesterday with Governor Greg Abbott, who is working hard to help the people of his Great State". Trump added: "Our incredible U.S. Coast Guard, together with State First Responders, have saved more than 850 lives. GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS!" A shocking video caught the moment the deadly Central Texas floods sent an entire home, apparenty with a cat trapped inside, down the Guadalupe River. The horror video, caught by Gavin Walston, showed the home crash into railings on the Center Point Bridge, at around 7.40am on Friday. Walston, in the video, said: "Oh, there's a cat in there." The crash even led to a tree, next to the bridge, being partially uprooted. The director of Camp Mystic, where 27 girls went missing after the devestating floods, died while trying to save girls from the horrific scenes. Richard 'Dick' Eastland, 70, was killed during rescue efforts at the Christian summer camp in Hunt, Texas, on the Guadalupe River. His family had owned the camp since 1974. His nephew, Gardner Eastland, confirmed Richard's tragic death in a Facebook post on Saturday. The director died in a helicopster while being rushed to a hospital in Houston, Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly told the Washington Post. Paige Sumner, a guest columnist for the Kerrville Daily Times, paid a touching tribute to Richard and said: "It doesn't surprise me at all that his last act of kindness and sacrifice was working to save the lives of campers. "Dick was the father figure to all of us while we were away from home at Camp Mystic for six weeks. "He was the father of four amazing boys, but he had hundreds of girls each term who looked up to him like a dad. I would never have taken a fishing class if it wasn't taught by my new friend Dick." The death toll has risen to 59, according to the county's Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick. "We're now up to 59," he told Fox News. "We expect that to go higher sadly." The US National Weather Service has warned that more rain is expected to pummel the already devastated region. The NWS said: "Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations." The weather service in San Antonio, around 80 miles away from the hardest hit areas, said: "A flood Watch is in effect." Officials revealed that months' worth of rain fell on Central Texas in just a few hours on Thursday night and into Friday morning. Harrowing pictures have emerged of the Texas summer camp where girls were tragically swept to their deaths in devastating floods. The Guadalupe River burst its banks early on Friday after heavy rain as destructive fast-moving waters rose 26ft (8m) in just 45 minutes, washing away homes and vehicles. The floods hit Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along the river in Hunt, which was "completely destroyed" according to 13-year-old Elinor Lester, one of hundreds of campers. She said: "The camp was completely destroyed. A helicopter landed and started taking people away. It was really scary." Dalton Rice, City Manager of Kerville, said some 27 children were among the missing from the camp. Photos show that the side of the camp was completely ripped apart by the floods. Beds and blankets of the campers can be seen covered in a thick sludge, with belongings including bags, toys and clothing strewn across the floor. The roof of a building is also seen sagging and pieces of jagged wood beneath it. Nearby trees were also knocked down by the force of the water. A man died after warning his family of dangerous flood waters at their campsite with his wife still reportedly missing. The family of Jeff Ramsey, from Lewisville, have confirmed that he lost his life in the devastating storm that has hit Texas while his wife Tanya is still missing. Other members of his family, who were staying at different locations of the campsite, have said he may be the reason why they survived after he called them to wake them up as the floodwater rose. Many people have paid tribute to Mr Ramsey on social media. "I am eternally grateful for getting to see you for one last huge hug last week. Rest easy my brother, we will carry your name on with love and light," wrote Morris Brossette on Facebook. Ryan Ashley Chapman said: "Received some devastating news that a dear friend Jeff Ramsey passed away from the floods on the Guadalupe River. He and his wife Tanya were camping at HTR TX Hill Country RV Park & Campground. "Tanya is still missing so please send up prayers that she is found safe and please pray for Jeff's children Jake and Rachel as they go through this awful time. My heart is breaking for all impacted by this tragedy." Incredible amounts of moisture in the air fueled a storm that moved slowly and dumped rain over central Texas, creating conditions for fatal flash floods in the early morning hours when it was easy to catch people by surprise, meteorologists said. More than 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain fell in the Texas Hill Country over a span of several hours early Friday, causing water levels to quickly rise, according to the weather forecasting company AccuWeather. The area is naturally prone to flash flooding, but this was an especially bad storm that hit during the vulnerable overnight hours, experts said. Dozens of deaths have been reported along with numerous rescues. 'In a warming climate we know that the atmosphere has more moisture to give, to hold on to and then to release. But also the thing that we know about climate change is that our rain events are not as uniform as what they used to be,' said Shel Winkley, a meteorologist with Climate Central. 'So, you'll get these big rain events happening in localized areas, tapping into the historic level of moisture in the atmosphere.' Robert Henson, a meteorologist and writer with Yale Climate Connections, said this latest Texas rain storm was roughly a once-in-a-generation event. It fell in the Texas Hill Country where water quickly shoots down rugged hills into narrow river basins that swell quickly. 'As is often the case with the worst disasters, many things came together in a terrible way.' Mr Henson said. A heartbroken dad has told how his two daughters aged 13 and 11, have both tragically died after being swept away in devastating floods and his parents are both missing. And RJ Harber has said that his daughters Blair, 13, and Brooke Harber, 11, both have died in flooding in Kerr County but were not at Camp Mystic. Paying tribute to the pair he told CNN that Blair 'was a gifted student and had a generous kind heart,' while Brooke 'was like a light in any room, people gravitated to her and she made them laugh and enjoy the moment.' Mr Harber also told the TV network that his parents Charlene and Mike were missing and he believes they have died. The two girls were pupils at St. Rita Catholic Community where Blair was preparing to enter eighth grade and Brooke was about to start in sixth grade, confirmed the school. The school held a prayer service on Saturday afternoon to grieve and honour their lives. They were understood to have been staying with their grandparents by the Guadalupe River and their parents were unharmed having been in a separate cabin. "Please keep the Harber family in your prayers during this time of profound grief. May our faith, our love, and our St. Rita community be a source of strength and comfort in the days ahead," said Fr. Joshua J. Whitfield, pastor, in correspondence with church members, reported CBS News. Shakira has said she will donate a portion of the money from her concert on Saturday in San Antonio to victims of the storm in Texas. She was performing in the state on her latest world tour. Shakira wrote on X: "Dear San Antonio, Our hearts and prayers are with those affected by the flood in Central Texas. "We are donating a portion of tonight's show proceeds to Catholic Charities of San Antonio, who are providing disaster relief to the families impacted." She previously said on arriving for the concert: "I've just landed in San Antonio, devastated to hear the news of the floods, the deaths, and the girls still missing. I can only think of their families and their immense pain. My prayers are with you on this sad day." A Texas school manager has told how many pupils were in the area where the storm hit and the community is "heartbroken" . Highland Park ISD Superintendent Dr. Mike Rockwood released a statement, saying many of its students were affected by the flooding. "Our hearts are heavy following the devastating flood in the Texas Hill Country. Many of our students were in the area, and our community is heartbroken for the families deeply affected by this tragedy," he said. "In the midst of this pain, we are incredibly moved by the outpouring of love and support from our churches, families, and broader community. Your compassion and care have been a source of strength in these difficult hours. "Please continue to keep all those impacted in your thoughts and prayers. We will share any appropriate updates as they become available, and we remain committed to supporting our students, staff, and families through this challenging time." Two "best friends" are among the girls to have lost their lives in the storm that hit Camp Mystic. Lila Bonner, a nine-year-old from Dallas, who was a pupil at Bradfield Elementary lost her life, her family confirmed to Fox4. And she was close friends with Eloise Peck, who went to the same school, and also died in the tragedy. Eloise's mum Missy Peck said: "Eloise was literally friends with everyone. She loved spaghetti but not more than she loved 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 eight years she was with us. Especially her Mommy." State and county officials defended their actions amid claims the camps and residents in towns vulnerable to flooding didn't receive necessary alerts. The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for the region on Thursday, and it sent out a series of flash-flood warnings in the early hours Friday. The federal agency had predicted 3 to 6 inches (7.6 to 15.2 centimeters) of rain in the region northwest of San Antonio, but 10 inches (25.4 cm) fell. The Guadalupe River rose to 26 feet (7.9 meters) within about 45 minutes in the early morning hours, submerging its flood gauge. It was not immediately clear what kind of evacuation plans Camp Mystic might have had. The county itself does not have a warning system, Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said. He maintained that no one knew a flood of this magnitude was coming. A Liverpool-loving head coach of a boys football team has died in the flooding along with his wife. Reece Zunker, who was in charge of the boys team Tivy High School in Kerrville, Texas, lost his life in the storm, his niece told CNN. Mackenzey Zunker said her father identified her uncle's body on Saturday evening. The Tivy boys soccer team posted a tribute to Zunker on their Facebook page, mourning 'the loss of our leader and inspiration.' Reece's wife Paula also died in the flooding, according to the statement from the football team and a message shared by his cousin Haley Furlough. The message from Ms Furlough added that their two children are unaccounted for. A statement from the boys soccer team at Tivy High School read: "Heartbroken over the loss of Coach Reece Zunker and his wife Paula. "Our Tivy Soccer & KISD community is heartbroken with the loss of our leader and inspiration. Coach Reece Zunker was not just a soccer coach he was a mentor, teacher and a role model for our Kerrville kids. "He rebuilt the soccer program and left a legacy. His passion for his players, students, co-workers, community and his family will never be forgotten. "You'll Never Walk Alone (Moto from his favorite soccer team Liverpool). We pray for all that knew him. We pray for the Zunker family." At least 27 girls are unaccounted for following devastating flashfloods in Texas. So far authorities have confirmed 43 people have died, including 15 children, in Kerr County after a storm unleashed nearly a foot (0.3 meters) of rain on Friday and sent floodwaters gushing out of the Guadalupe River through the hilly region known for its century-old summer camps. Another eight people died in nearby counties. State officials said 27 girls from Camp Mystic, a riverside Christian camp for girls in Hunt, still were unaccounted for more than 36 hours after the flood. The camp was established in 1926. It grew so popular over the following decades that families are now encouraged to put prospective campers on the waitlist years in advance. But images now show the devastation at the campsite. Texas Governor Greg Abbott says that Camp Mystic is "horrendously ravaged" in ways he has not seen before in a natural disaster. The flooding in Kerr County has killed at least 43 people, including 15 children, and at least eight people died in nearby counties. Authorities still have not said how many people were missing beyond the children from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along a river in Kerr County where most of the dead were recovered. There are still 27 girls missing from the site. Mr Abbott visited the site on Saturday and has now written on X: "Today I visited Camp Mystic. It, and the river running beside it, were horrendously ravaged in ways unlike I've seen in any natural disaster. "The height the rushing water reached to the top of cabins was shocking. We won't stop until we find every girl who was in those cabins." The family of dad who died while rescuing his loved ones from flooding in Texas shared his final, heartbreaking words. In a final act of heroism, Julian Ryan punched through a window to help his fiancé, their children and his mother escape to the roof. Read the full story here. Search crews were facing harsh conditions while 'looking in every possible location,' Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said. Officials said more than 850 people had been rescued in the last 36 hours and there were heroic efforts at the camps to save children. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem arrived and pledged that the Trump administration would use all available resources. Coast Guard helicopters and planes were assisting to ensure operations can continue even in darkness. Piers and Ruffin Boyett were at Camp La Junta in Hunt, Texas, when they spoke to ABC affiliate KSAT about their cabin being flooded during the heavy rains. Piers described how they had to scramble up into the rafters of the cabin to avoid the swiftly rising waters. Declared this Sunday, July 6th, as a Day of Prayer in Texas in response to the floods in the Hill Country.I invite Texans to join me in prayer for the communities affected by this disaster. Blair, 13, and Brooke Harber, 11, have sadly died after going missing during the flash floods in Kerr County, their father told CNN. RJ Harber said his parents, Charlene and Mike Harber, are still missing, and fears that they are also dead. Blair was a "gifted student and had a generous kind heart", while her sister Brooke "was like a light in any room, people gravitated to her and she made them laugh and enjoy the moment", their father said. San Angelo shared the following statement: "During the emergency response to the devastating flooding that occurred on July 4th, the San Angelo Police Department was notified of a missing individual who was last seen driving in an area impacted by the rising floodwaters. "Responding officers and rescue personnel quickly began a coordinated search effort. During the course of our investigation, the individual's vehicle was located, still submerged beneath the floodwaters. Upon confirming that the vehicle was unoccupied, our team immediately expanded the search into the surrounding area. "Search operations continued into the evening hours of July 4th but were eventually suspended due to safety concerns and conditions. Efforts resumed early the following morning. "It is with great sadness that we report that at approximately 9:15 a.m. on July 5th, the body of Tanya Burwick, age 62, was discovered several blocks away from where her vehicle had been found. "Our hearts are heavy as we extend our deepest condolences to Ms. Burwick's family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. The San Angelo Police Department stands with the entire community in mourning this tragic loss. "We ask that the public continue to keep the Burwick family in their thoughts and prayers as they navigate this heartbreaking tragedy." Campers and staff from one of the camps on the Guadalupe River, Camp Waldemar, have been reunited with their loved ones. More than two dozen girls remain missing from Camp Mystic, but authorities have not said how many people were missing beyond the 27 children. Chloe Crane, a teacher and former Camp Mystic counselor, said her heart broke when a fellow teacher shared an email from the camp about the missing girls. 'To be quite honest, I cried because Mystic is such a special place, and I just couldn't imagine the terror that I would feel as a counselor to experience that for myself and for 15 little girls that I'm taking care of,' she said. 'And it's also just sadness, like the camp has been there forever and cabins literally got washed away.' According to Associated Press, Crane said the camp is a haven for young girls looking to gain confidence and independence. She recalled happy memories teaching her campers about journalism, making crafts and competing in a camp-wide canoe race at the end of each summer. Now for many campers and counselors, their happy place has turned into a horror story, she said.
Reuters
2 hours ago
- Reuters
Desperate scenes from Texas as search for missing continues
The death toll from catastrophic floods in Texas reached at least 67 on Sunday, including 21 children, as the search for girls missing from a summer camp entered a third day.
Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Telegraph
Packed cabin swept away in Texas floods
A cabin packed with people was swept away by deadly floodwaters after torrential rain hit central Texas on Friday. At least 59 people are confirmed to have died in Kerr County and neighbouring areas after nearly a foot of rain fell on Friday, causing the Guadalupe River to overflow. Among the missing are 27 girls from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp in Hunt, Texas. State officials said the death toll was expected to rise. Before the flood, photos showed an idyllic retreat with green-roofed cabins and names like 'Wiggle Inn.' But the scene has since transformed into devastation, with communities submerged, homes destroyed, and vehicles swept away. In one of the most harrowing moments, a large cabin was filmed floating down the Guadalupe River in Hill County. Faint yellow lights flickered from within as panicked voices echoed in the night. 'Oh my God, there's so many people in it,' a bystander said as the cabin disappeared into the current. On Sunday, emergency teams were searching for those still unaccounted for after the river rose 26ft in 45 minutes overnight on Friday. Larry Leitha, the local county sheriff, confirmed 38 adults and 21 children were among the dead in Kerry County, while 10 more died in other Texas counties. Renee Smajstrla, eight, who had been 'having the time of her life,' is among the victims. 'Renee has been found and while not the outcome we prayed for, the social media outreach likely assisted the first responders in helping to identify her so quickly,' said her uncle, Shawn Salta. Nine-year-old Janie Hunt, nine, was also confirmed dead by her mother, Anne Hunt, who told CNN she had been 'praying' for her daughter's safe return. The families of Sarah Marsh, eight, and Lila Bonner, nine, two more girls from Camp Mystic, also confirmed their deaths. 'Our sweet Sarah is gone!' Debbie Ford Marsh, Sarah's grandmother, wrote in a Facebook post on Saturday. 'We will always feel blessed to have had this beautiful spunky ray of light in our lives. She will live on in our hearts forever! We love you so much sweet Sarah!' she added. 'Last act of kindness' Dick Eastland, the long-time owner and director of Camp Mystic, reportedly died while trying to rescue campers. '[Eastland] was family to so many campers,' wrote Paige Sumner, who knew Mr Eastland, in a tribute for the Kerrville Daily Times. 'It doesn't surprise me at all that his last act of kindness and sacrifice was working to save the lives of campers.' Lt Governor Dan Patrick said 700 girls were in residence at the camp when the flood hit. By Sunday morning, 27 remained missing. Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, was quizzed about why the National Weather Service's (NWS) alerts about heavy rainfall and flooding were delayed, blaming its 'ancient' alerts system. 'The weather is extremely difficult to predict,' she said alongside Greg Abbott, the governor of Texas. 'But also … the National Weather Service, over the years at times, has done well and at times, we have all wanted more time and more warning and more notification.' 'We needed to renew this ancient system that has been left in place with the federal government for many, many years and that is the reforms that are ongoing there,' Ms Noem added. Residents in central Texas were warned of a 'moderate' storm at about 1.18pm on Thursday, with the NWS initial flood watch predicting 5-7 inches of rain. This was the first in a series of bulletins that grew increasingly serious in the early hours of Friday morning before a 'threat to life' was issued at 4.03am. The Trump administration has faced criticism for staffing cuts to the NWS, which saw nearly 600 employees laid off earlier this year, doubling the vacancy rate since January, The New York Times reported. But Greg Waller, an NWS hydrologist in Fort Worth, told the Texas Tribune that the team had 'adequate staffing, adequate technology' on the night of the storm. Mr Trump on Sunday signed a major disaster declaration for Kerr Country 'to ensure that our brave first responders immediately have the resources they need'. The US president said on social media: 'These families are enduring an unimaginable tragedy, with many lives lost, and many still missing.' 'Our incredible US Coast Guard, together with State First Responders, have saved more than 850 lives,' he said, ending the message with: 'GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS!'
