'27 feet above ground': How 2 girls survived the deadly Texas floods
In a Facebook Live video, Shiflet shared the emotional moment, saying, "They had been holding on for over a day, and they found them six miles down river." The identities of the girls have not been released.
Later, in a separate Facebook post, Shiflet added, 'In case you missed my Facebook live overwhelmingly thrilled to report two young girls were just found alive 27 feet off the ground in trees near comfort Texas. It gives all of us hope to keep working harder and faster. Keep your thoughts and prayers with everybody down here. It's a very tough day, but good things are also happening.'
Comfort is located in Kendall County, one of several regions hit hard by devastating floods that have now claimed at least 70 lives. Shiflet also reported that four bodies had been recovered: a man found in debris, two women discovered in a vehicle, and one unidentified person at the site.
Flood Devastation Across Central Texas
The confirmed death toll from the Central Texas floods reached at least 70 as of Sunday. At least 30 people are still officially listed as missing across multiple counties. Among the missing are 11 campers and one counselor from Camp Mystic, a girls' summer camp in Kerr County.
The geographic breakdown of confirmed fatalities is as follows:
Kerr County: 59 deaths
Travis County: 4
Burnet County: 3
Kendall County: 2
Williamson County: 1
Tom Green County: 1
Federal Response
President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that he had signed a "Major Disaster Declaration" for Kerr County, Texas.
The declaration is "to ensure that our Brave First Responders immediately have the resources they need," he wrote in a Truth Social post on Sunday.
"These families are enduring an unimaginable tragedy, with many lives lost, and many still missing. The Trump Administration continues to work closely with State and Local Leaders. 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.
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Hindustan Times
11 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
'27 feet above ground': How 2 girls survived the deadly Texas floods
Two young girls were found alive during flood-related search operations near Comfort, Texas, on Sunday. They were found clinging to the branches of a tree 27 feet above the ground. According to Cord Shiflet, a member of the search and rescue team, the girls had been holding on for over 24 hours before being discovered six miles downstream from where they were last seen. A drone view shows fallen trees, as a result of flash flooding, in Comfort, Texas, U.S., July 5, 2025.(REUTERS) In a Facebook Live video, Shiflet shared the emotional moment, saying, "They had been holding on for over a day, and they found them six miles down river." The identities of the girls have not been released. Later, in a separate Facebook post, Shiflet added, 'In case you missed my Facebook live overwhelmingly thrilled to report two young girls were just found alive 27 feet off the ground in trees near comfort Texas. It gives all of us hope to keep working harder and faster. Keep your thoughts and prayers with everybody down here. It's a very tough day, but good things are also happening.' Comfort is located in Kendall County, one of several regions hit hard by devastating floods that have now claimed at least 70 lives. Shiflet also reported that four bodies had been recovered: a man found in debris, two women discovered in a vehicle, and one unidentified person at the site. Flood Devastation Across Central Texas The confirmed death toll from the Central Texas floods reached at least 70 as of Sunday. At least 30 people are still officially listed as missing across multiple counties. Among the missing are 11 campers and one counselor from Camp Mystic, a girls' summer camp in Kerr County. The geographic breakdown of confirmed fatalities is as follows: Kerr County: 59 deaths Travis County: 4 Burnet County: 3 Kendall County: 2 Williamson County: 1 Tom Green County: 1 Federal Response President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that he had signed a "Major Disaster Declaration" for Kerr County, Texas. The declaration is "to ensure that our Brave First Responders immediately have the resources they need," he wrote in a Truth Social post on Sunday. "These families are enduring an unimaginable tragedy, with many lives lost, and many still missing. The Trump Administration continues to work closely with State and Local Leaders. 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.
Economic Times
12 hours ago
- Economic Times
2 girls found alive: Texas Floods Miracle: Two girls found alive, clinging to a tree for over a day — ‘Six miles downriver and 27 feet in the air'
Miraculous discovery: 2 girls found alive Live Events Camp Mystic tragedy Grim toll and ongoing search Extreme weather warning systems under scrutiny 800 rescued till now Community support through Mercy Chefs and volunteers Failure in warning? US President takes action FAQs What triggered the Texas flash floods in July 2025? How many people have died as a result of the flooding? (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Central Texas reeled under unprecedented flash floods on Friday as heavy rains sent the Guadalupe River rushing through Kerr County and surrounding areas. The violent surge, soaring 26 feet in under an hour, demolished cabins, carried away vehicles, and tragically claimed at least 70 lives, including 21 children, with more than 800 people rescued from the deluge, as per a report by the Associated grim search-and-rescue efforts, a Facebook Live broadcast by volunteer rescuer Cord Shiflet delivered an astonishing update. Two young girls, whose identities remain concealed, were discovered alive, perched 27 feet high in a lone tree between Comfort and Homillus Road, near Center Point, as per a report by the Daily clung on for more than a day, they were found six miles downstream from their likely point of origin.'They had been holding on for over a day, and they found them six miles downriver,' Shiflet recounted. The girls were promptly airlifted to safety, their miraculous survival offering a rare beacon of hope amid flood's human toll was especially severe at Camp Mystic, a Christian girls' camp dating back to 1974. The camp's director and co-owner, Dick Eastland, perished in what many are calling an act of heroism, attempting to shield young campers from the rising nephew posted a tribute on social media: 'Camp Mystic's Dick Eastland no doubt gave his life attempting to save his campers.' U.S. Congressman August Pfluger echoed the sentiment, praising Eastland's least four campers and one counselor from Camp Mystic remain missing. The camp's cabins and grounds, now dotted with flooded debris and belongings, were opened to families on Sunday, with the riverbanks and structures being painstakingly combed for clues and County, where Camp Mystic is located, reported 59 fatalities as of Sunday afternoon. Body recoveries continued across affected counties—four in Travis, three in Burnet, two in Kendall, and one each in Tom Green and Williamson, as authorities pledged to leave no stone unturned until every victim is accounted panned through river debris, searched among toppled trees and scattered personal effects, and mourned lives experts and local officials noted the flood's rapid onset: four months' worth of rainfall in mere National Weather Service had issued flash flood alerts beginning Thursday afternoon, and 'life-threatening' warnings followed shortly after midnight Friday. Still, questions loom about whether warnings were sufficiently relayed or heeded, especially in remote camp areas. Compounding the issue, understaffed regional forecast centres, affected by personnel reductions, may have impaired warning intense rainfall fell after midnight, often the most dangerous time for flash floods, many residents, campers, and authorities were caught unawares. While searchlights, drones, boats, and Coast Guard helicopters scoured the waters, flash flood watches remained in effect, and more storms were forecast into the first 36 hours, rescuers brought over 800 individuals to safety. Helicopters leapfrogged flooded zones, drones canvassed unreachable areas, and ground teams navigated treacherous debris and mud-choked Greg Abbott ordered round-the-clock efforts and declared Sunday a 'state day of prayer' for victims, survivors, and relief workers. Even Pope Francis, addressing crowds at the Vatican, prayed in English for the bereaved families, especially noting the young campers who were rescue operations, community groups and nonprofit networks have mobilised to support first responders and displaced families. Organisations known as 'mercy chefs'—teams of volunteer cooks—have been serving hot meals to stranded residents, search crews, and shelter occupants. Their efforts have been hailed as vital in maintaining morale and sustenance amid are now asking why the warnings fell short. Was the overnight timing of the floods to blame, or could understaffed forecast offices have delayed alerts? National Weather Service personnel assert that alert bulletins, including an Emergency Alert System notification at 1:14 a.m., were issued in a timely officials admit signal gaps may have left some cabins and camps County Judge Rob Kelly said, 'We had no reason to believe this was going to be anything like what's happened here.'Meanwhile, Congressman Chip Roy described the flood as a 'once-in-a-century' event, acknowledging that unanswered questions and public scrutiny are inevitable as families seek FEMA activated by President Trump's disaster declaration on Sunday, federal resources are being marshaled for long-term recovery. As water levels fall and access routes are restored, family reunifications, infrastructure repair, and sanitation improvements will move to the forefront.A sudden deluge dumped four months' worth of rainfall within a few hours, causing the Guadalupe River in Kerr County to rise 26 feet in under 60 minutes. This unprecedented flash flooding overwhelmed camps, cabins, and communities of the latest reports, at least 70 people have died across Central Texas, including 21 children. Kerr County alone reported 59 fatalities, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters in Texas history.
Hindustan Times
17 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Camp Mystic flooding: How many girls are still missing after the deadly Texas floods?
A summer camp in the Texas Hill Country turned into a disaster zone after flash floods swept through the area on Friday, July 4. The tragedy killed at least 43 people and left dozens more missing, including 27 girls from Camp Mystic, reported Associated Press. Camp Mystic was founded in 1926 and is known for its Christian values and beautiful riverside setting in Hunt, Texas. REUTERS/Sergio Flores TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY(REUTERS) The floods hit Kerr County after nearly a foot of rain fell overnight, causing the Guadalupe River to rise rapidly and submerge parts of the popular riverside camp for girls. The flood water reached 26 feet within 45 minutes. Authorities confirmed that 15 of the victims were children. An eight-year-old girl from Alabama attending Camp Mystic and a local camp director were among those confirmed dead on Saturday. Also Read: Tropical Storm Chantal update: Where will the worst impacts of Chantal be felt? All on expected power outages, damages Camp Mystic: Search operations for missing girls continue Texas Governor Greg Abbott visited Camp Mystic on Saturday. He shared that the rescue teams are working around the clock to locate the missing people. So far, around 850 people have been rescued across the region. During evacuation efforts, many campers were evacuated by boat and helicopter. In one case, Texas Game Wardens tied a rope across a bridge to guide girls to safety through knee-deep water. As per the publication, Elinor Lester, 13, said she and her cabinmates were woken by thunder and rain before being evacuated by helicopter. She was staying in a cabin on higher ground, but younger girls were in lower cabins near the river, which flooded first. 'The camp was completely destroyed,' she revealed. About Camp Mystic Camp Mystic was founded in 1926 and is known for its Christian values and beautiful riverside setting in Hunt, Texas. Families often register their daughters years in advance to get a spot. Before the flood, social media showed girls smiling, dancing, horseback riding, and making crafts. But in the aftermath, images show destroyed cabins, debris, and vehicles lodged in trees. Former counselor Chloe Crane said the news broke her heart. 'Mystic is a special place,' she said. 'Now it's a place of sadness.' Why were there no advance flood alerts? There is growing concern over whether camps in flood-prone areas were warned in time. The National Weather Service had issued flood alerts on Thursday and early Friday. It predicted 3–6 inches of rain, but over 10 inches fell. Kerr County does not have a public alert system. County Judge Rob Kelly said no one expected flooding this severe. Camp Mystic has not released full details of its emergency plan. Parents are now desperate for answers, with many learning their children are still missing. The camp emailed families saying that if they have not been contacted, their child is accounted for. Nearby camps like La Junta and Waldemar confirmed that all their campers and staff are safe. ALSO READ: Texas floods: Woman, 22, gets swept 20 miles downstream, clings onto tree for hours before miraculous rescue FAQs How many girls are still missing from Camp Mystic? At least 27 girls are still missing after the Texas floods hit Camp Mystic. What caused the floods in Kerr County, Texas? Nearly one foot of torrential rainfall caused the Guadalupe River to rise rapidly, leading to flash floods. Is Camp Mystic safe now? The camp suffered major damage. Many cabins were destroyed, and search and rescue operations are still ongoing.
