Texas floods leave at least 51 dead, 27 girls missing as rescue efforts continue
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.
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.
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.
'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.
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.
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Daily Mirror
4 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Pope Leo XIV's touching message to families of Texas flood victims
Search teams are using helicopters, boats and drones to look for victims in flash floods that have torn across central Texas since the at the start of the July Fourth weekend Pope Leo XIV has broken his silence following the devastating floods in Texas that have claimed the lives of at least 79 pople. Kerr county remains the worst affected area, with a total of 68 deaths including 28 dead at Camp Mystic alone - four are in Travis County, two in Kendall County, three in Burnet County, one in Williamson County, and one in Tom Green County. Texas National Guard has so far rescued 520 people but Texas Governor Greg Abbott said around 41 people were still missing, as search and rescue missions continue in the area where floods destroyed entire homes. Search teams are using helicopters, boats and drones to look for victims in flash floods that have torn across central Texas since the at the start of the July Fourth weekend. According to the Guardian an official has received unconfirmed reports of 'an additional wall of water' flowing down some of the creeks in the Guadalupe Rivershed, as rain continued to fall on soil in the region already saturated from Friday's rains. Pope Leo XIV took to X yesterday to say: "I would like to express sincere condolences to all the families who have lost loved ones, in particular their daughters, who were at the summer camp, in the disaster caused by flooding of the Guadalupe River in Texas in the United States. We pray for them." Donald Trump has said he will "probably" visit Texas on Friday, following the flash flooding that killed 79 people in the state. "We want to leave a little time," he told reporters this afternoon. "I would have done it today, but we would just be in their way, probably Friday." He said he has been in touch with the Texas governor. The Guadalupe River surged by 30ft above its typical level with racing watering destroying Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp in Hunt. Several young girls remain missing as a huge rescue effort continues to find those still unaccounted for. Many of the missing girls are younger children who had been sleeping just yards away from the river. They had been sleeping on the low-laying "flats" in the camp's cabins, with the older girls sleeping in cabins on higher grounds. The director of the camp, Richard Eastland, 70, died as he tried to save girls. US President Donald Trump said those affected by the floods were "enduring an unimaginable tragedy."
Reuters
6 hours ago
- Reuters
Death toll from Texas floods reaches 78; Trump plans visit
HUNT, Texas, July 6 (Reuters) - The death toll from catastrophic floods in Texas reached at least 78 on Sunday, including at least 28 children, as the search for girls missing from a summer camp entered a third day and fears of more flash flooding as rain fell on saturated ground prompted fresh evacuations. Larry Leitha, the Kerr County Sheriff in Texas Hill Country, said 68 people had died in flooding in his county, the epicenter of the flooding, among them 28 children. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, speaking at a press conference on Sunday afternoon, said another 10 had died elsewhere in Texas and 41 confirmed missing. The governor did not say how many of the dead outside Kerr were children. Among the most devastating impacts of the flooding occurred at Camp Mystic summer camp, a nearly century-old Christian girls camp. Sheriff Leitha said on Sunday that 10 Camp Mystic campers and one counselor were still missing. "It was nothing short of horrific to see what those young children went through," said Abbott, who said he toured the area on Saturday and pledged to continue efforts to locate the missing. The flooding occurred after the nearby Guadalupe River broke its banks after torrential rain fell in the central Texas area on Friday, the U.S. Independence Day holiday. Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd said at the press conference on Sunday afternoon the destruction killed three people in Burnet County, one in Tom Green County, five in Travis County and one in Williamson County. "You will see the death toll rise today and tomorrow," said Freeman Martin, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, also speaking on Sunday. Officials said on Saturday that more than 850 people had been rescued, including some clinging to trees, after a sudden storm dumped up to 15 inches (38 cm) of rain across the region, about 85 miles (140 km) northwest of San Antonio. "Everyone in the community is hurting," Leitha told reporters. Kidd said he was receiving unconfirmed reports of "an additional wall of water" flowing down some of the creeks in the Guadalupe Rivershed, as rain continued to fall on soil in the region already saturated from Friday's rains. He said aircraft were sent aloft to scout for additional floodwaters, while search-and-rescue personnel who might be in harm's way were alerted to pull back from the river in the meantime. The National Weather Service issued flood warnings and advisories for central Texas that were to last until 4:15 p.m. local time (2115 GMT) as rains fell, potentially complicating rescue efforts. The Federal Emergency Management Agency was activated on Sunday and is deploying resources to first responders in Texas after President Donald Trump issued a major disaster declaration, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement. U.S. Coast Guard helicopters and planes are helping the search and rescue efforts, the department said. Trump, who said on Sunday he would visit the disaster scene, probably on Friday, has previously outlined plans to scale back the federal government's role in responding to natural disasters, leaving states to shoulder more of the burden themselves. Some experts questioned whether cuts to the federal workforce by the Trump administration, including to the agency that oversees the National Weather Service, led to a failure by officials to accurately predict the severity of the floods and issue appropriate warnings ahead of the storm. Trump's administration has overseen thousands of job cuts from the National Weather Service's parent agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, leaving many weather offices understaffed, former NOAA director Rick Spinrad said. Spinrad said he did not know if those staff cuts factored into the lack of advance warning for the extreme Texas flooding, but that they would inevitably degrade the agency's ability to deliver accurate and timely forecasts. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who oversees NOAA, said a "moderate" flood watch issued on Thursday by the National Weather Service had not accurately predicted the extreme rainfall and said the Trump administration was working to upgrade the system. Joaquin Castro, a Democratic U.S. congressman from Texas, told CNN's "State of the Union" program that fewer personnel at the weather service could be dangerous. "When you have flash flooding, there's a risk that if you don't have the personnel ... to do that analysis, do the predictions in the best way, it could lead to tragedy," Castro said. Camp Mystic had 700 girls in residence at the time of the flooding. Katharine Somerville, a counselor on the Cypress Lake side of Camp Mystic, on higher ground than the Guadalupe River side, said her 13-year-old campers were scared as their cabins sustained damage and lost power in the middle of the night. "Our cabins at the tippity top of hills were completely flooded with water. I mean, y'all have seen the complete devastation, we never even imagined that this could happen," Somerville said in an interview on Fox News on Sunday. Somerville said the campers in her care were put on military trucks and evacuated, and that all were safe. The disaster unfolded rapidly on Friday morning as heavier-than-forecast rain drove river waters rapidly to as high as 29 feet (9 meters). A day after the disaster struck, the summer camp was a scene of devastation. Inside one cabin, mud lines indicating how high the water had risen were at least six feet (1.83 m) from the floor. Bed frames, mattresses and personal belongings caked with mud were scattered inside. Some buildings had broken windows, one had a missing wall.
The Independent
7 hours ago
- The Independent
At least 70 have died after catastrophic flooding in Texas - as officials warn ‘wall of water' could batter region
Three days after flash floods first ravaged south-central Texas and claimed more than 70 lives, local officials are still searching for 10 missing campers as another 'wall of water' heads to the area. Flash floods slammed Kerr County and its surrounding areas at the start of the holiday weekend, leaving locals, campers, and July 4th visitors swept up in the catastrophic floods. Rescue efforts were still in full force Sunday as emergency crews raced against the clock to find 11 girls from Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian camp along the Guadalupe River that was devastated by the floods. 'We won't stop until we find every girl who was in those cabins,' Governor Greg Abbott said in a Saturday evening statement. The region is now bracing for more heavy rainfall, potentially complicating the search efforts and endangering even more people. There are reports of an additional 'wall of water' heading toward Kerr County, Nim Kidd, Chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, said at a Sunday afternoon press conference. Kidd warned: 'Because the ground is already saturated, any rain that falls can be perceived as life-threatening rain.' The National Weather Service had predicted between 1 and 3 inches of rain, with some areas possibly getting 5 to 7 inches. But the reality was a torrential downpour along the Guadalupe River late Thursday that led to unexpected flash floods, with parts of Kerr County getting pummeled with 10 to 15 inches in just a short span. The river surged from 8 feet to 29 feet in a matter of hours early Friday morning. Camp Mystic, which sits along the river, was 'horrendously ravaged,' Abbott said. At least 27 people at Camp Mystic have died as a result of the floods, the camp told NBC News in a statement. "This tragedy has devastated us and our entire community. Our hearts are broken alongside the families that are enduring this tragedy, and we share their hope and prayers," the statement read. The search for 10 missing girls and one counselor continues. In total, at least 40 people across Texas counties were missing as of Sunday afternoon, the governor said, while dozens of others have died due to the flash floods. Who are the victims? The death toll rose to 79 people on Sunday. Dick Eastland, the director of Camp Mystic, and Chloe Childress, an 18-year-old counselor at the camp, both lost their lives in the floods, according to reports. Jonathan Eades, head of the Kinkaid School from where Childress recently graduated, told the New York Times that she lost her life upholding a 'selfless and fierce commitment to others.' Several campers, not even 10 years old, also died in the floods, their families confirmed. Julian Ryan, a 27-year-old dishwasher in Ingram, Texas, lost his life after water poured into his trailer home. The rest of his family was spared. 'He was the best father, and was always such a happy person who was never above helping people, no matter what it cost,' his fiancee Christinia Wilson told the Times. 'He died trying to save us.' Jane Ragsdale, camp director and co-owner of Heart O' the Hills, a summer camp along the Guadalupe River, was killed in the floods, the camp said in a statement. 'She embodied the spirit of Heart O' the Hills and was exactly the type of strong, joyful woman that the camp aimed to develop with the girls entrusted to us each summer,' the statement read. More than two dozen other victims, including children, have yet to be identified, officials said Sunday. What's the scale of the search? Federal, state and local entities have been working on search and rescue efforts for a third day. On Saturday, officials said more than 850 people had been rescued or evacuated. The Texas Military Department has conducted 525 rescues and evacuations, both by air and by ground, an official said at a Sunday afternoon press conference. The Coast Guard has saved or assisted in saving 223 lives, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Saturday. As of Sunday, there are 230 Texas Military Department personnel working on the response. They are operating eight helicopters as well as some high-profile military vehicles to help evacuate people from high-water areas, officials said. The personnel are still in Kerrville and have expanded their operations to include San Saba and Burnet. There are also some behavior health officers and chaplains working in those areas. In Kerr County alone, there were 400 first responders working on Sunday, with more than 100 air, water, and ground vehicles conducting search and rescue efforts, the sheriff's office said. What has the political response been? President Donald Trump signed a Major Disaster Declaration for Kerr County, Texas on Sunday, providing federal resources to the ravaged area, he said in a statement Sunday morning. '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,' the president wrote. '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!' Former President George W. Bush, who served as the 46th governor of Texas, offered his condolences in a statement shared to social media on Sunday. "On this day of prayer, Laura and I are holding up our fellow Texans who are hurting. We are heartbroken by the loss of life and the agony so many are feeling. Those who have lost their precious children are facing a grief no parents should ever know,' the former president said. 'We are grateful to the first responders and volunteers who are working to find the missing and comfort the grieving at Camp Mystic and along the Guadalupe. We know our words cannot help, but we believe the prayers of so many Americans will,' the statement continued. Former President Barack Obama also said he was praying for those affected by the floods, calling the disaster 'heartbreaking.' 'The flash flooding in Central Texas is absolutely heartbreaking. Michelle and I are praying for everyone who has lost a loved one or is waiting for news — especially the parents. And we're grateful to the first responders and rescue teams working around the clock to help,' he wrote.
