Texas floods: Camp Mystic girls seen in video happily camping, posing for pics hours before tragedy
In a tragic turn of events, happy memories recorded just hours before the deadly floods have emerged from Camp Mystic, the private Christian summer camp in Kerr County, Texas, that was ravaged by the tragedy. In the TikTok video posted by Devon Paige, a nurse and flood survivor, Camp Mystic children and staff are enjoying their vacation at the riverfront site from June 28 to July 3. Girls can be seen laughing, taking group photos, and eating together while seemingly unaware of the impending danger.
Texas authorities verified that at least 27 people from Camp Mystic have died, while 10 are still unaccounted for. The floodwaters affected several camps in the vicinity, but Camp Mystic endured the most impact. The photos published by TMZ on Saturday displayed the extensive destruction, cabins demolished, vehicles overturned, and structures hollowed out.
Camp Mystic, which has been run by the same family for many years, is recognized for providing girls with a "wholesome" and spiritual summer adventure. Families throughout the US, including many from Texas's political upper crust, send their daughters to engage in activities such as canoeing, horseback riding, and worship services.
Destruction throughout Texas camps
The overall number of fatalities from the floods in Texas has exceeded 100. The storm caused widespread damage to almost 20 youth camps situated along the Guadalupe River. Close to Heart O' the Hills, another girls' camp, was impacted as well. Jane Ragsdale, the co-owner, sadly lost her life in the flooding, even though the camp wasn't operating at that moment.
Officials persist with search and rescue efforts while the community grieves and heals. The recordings from Camp Mystic serve as a poignant reminder of life's fragility, and the tempest that transformed happiness into grief in mere hours.
ALSO READ: Texas flash floods: 27 campers and counselors killed in Camp Mystic
FAQ'S
1. What led to the unexpected flooding in Texas close to Camp Mystic?
Intense downpour led to the Guadalupe River elevating more than 20 feet swiftly.
2. Were there any alerts given prior to the arrival of the floods?
The floodwaters came unexpectedly, surprising many people.
3. Is Camp Mystic set to reopen following the tragedy?
An official update on the future operations of the camp is not available yet.
4. In what ways can individuals assist flood survivors in Kerr County?
Contributions can be sent to community aid initiatives such as the Red Cross or the Kerr County Flood Fund
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First Post
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- First Post
How US Coast Guard hero saved 165 children from Texas flooding on first mission
Scott Ruskan, a US Coast Guard rescue swimmer, is being hailed as an 'American Hero' after he saved as many as 165 children from catastrophic flooding at Camp Mystic in Texas. The 26-year-old New Jersey native, who was on his first rescue mission, was the only trained rescuer on the ground when tragedy struck read more Tecas floods: Scott Ruskan was the only trained rescuer on the ground, working without cell service or radio communication. Iage courtesy: Rider University When 26-year-old Scott Ruskan signed up as a rescue swimmer with the US Coast Guard, he knew he'd be saving lives. What he didn't know was that his very first mission would involve airlifting 165 children trapped by catastrophic flooding in Texas. Over the July 4 weekend, torrential rains triggered severe flooding across parts of central Texas. Among the worst-affected areas was Camp Mystic, a girls' camp located in Kerr County, where rising waters from the Guadalupe River left children and staff stranded with no way out. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD That's when Ruskan stepped in. Assigned to manage triage at the site, he was part of the dramatic rescue operation and was seen in footage being hoisted by helicopter from the rooftop of a building surrounded by floodwaters, reports the New York Post. He is now being hailed as an 'American Hero'. 'This is what it's all about, right? Like, this is why we do the job,' Ruskan, a native of New Jersey and former KPMG accountant, said. 'This is why we take those risks all the time. This is why like Coast Guard men and women are risking their lives every day." Chaos at Camp Mystic According to Fox News, the rescue operation began when sudden floods cut off access to Camp Mystic, a private Christian summer camp for girls located near the Guadalupe River, around 28 kilometres northwest of Kerrville, Texas. The river rose by a staggering 26 feet in just 45 minutes on Friday morning, sending a wall of water through the campgrounds packed with visitors during the holiday weekend. Nearly 200 people, including 165 children, found themselves stranded at the site. Emergency teams had a narrow window to act before the situation became even more dangerous. The Texas National Guard and Air National Guard deployed Black Hawk helicopters as part of the ongoing response. The rescue operation began when sudden floods cut off access to Camp Mystic, a private Christian summer camp for girls located near the Guadalupe River, around 28 kilometres northwest of Kerrville, Texas. File image/AP What should have been a routine one-hour flight turned into a gruelling six-to-seven-hour mission, Ruskan told CNN. It took four separate attempts, and support from the Air National Guard, for their aircraft to reach the flood-hit zone. From above, Ruskan said he could see the full impact of the flooding. 'I've never seen anything this tragic in my life,' he told CNN. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This video of the Guadalupe was shot in Kerrville, Tx from the Center Bridge. Watch how fast these flood waters were traveling & washing everything in front of it out. It goes from low & barley flowing to over the top of the bridge in around 35 minutes. I sped the video up to… — Clyp Keeper (@DGrayTexas45) July 6, 2025 'I saw a huge crowd of about 200 kids at a campsite,' Ruskan recalled during his appearance on Fox & Friends on July 5. 'We were like, 'Cool, that's where we're going to go and get as many people out as we can.'' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The dramatic rescue Upon reaching the camp, the Coast Guard crew realised they were urgently needed at another, more dangerous site. The aircraft could carry more people if Ruskan stayed behind, so the team made a call; he would remain at Camp Mystic as the triage coordinator. For the next three hours, Ruskan was the only trained rescuer on the ground, working without cell service or radio communication. Still, he focused solely on the kids, many of whom were barefoot, frightened, and still in their pyjamas after fleeing their bunks. A cabin was destroyed by flooding at Camp Mystic. Reuters 'They're having probably the worst day of their life,' he said. 'They're missing friends. They're missing loved ones. They don't know where they are.' While coordinating triage and keeping kids calm, he also directed Army Blackhawk 60s and Coast Guard MH-65 helicopters to small groups of stranded survivors. Military personnel carry life jackets as they arrive to assist with a recovery effort at Camp Mystic. AP Aircraft landed on makeshift helipads, the camp's archery and soccer fields, and Ruskan carefully guided groups of 10 to 15 children, along with at least one adult, to safety. 'My main job was triaging, and then my second job I kind of picked up was just trying to comfort these kids and the family members and counsellors,' he told CNN. Despite the massive rescue efforts, 27 people, including campers and counsellors, died in the floods. At least 10 campers and one counsellor remain missing, as per Fox News. 'So we basically got the majority of the people out of Camp Mystic, which is awesome. And I feel like we did a lot of good that day, but obviously it's still super sad,' he told The New York Post. 'There's still a lot of people missing and unaccounted for, so the mission's not over yet. It's not over for us." STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'An American hero' Scott Ruskan grew up in Oxford, New Jersey, and didn't start out in the world of rescue. In fact, he was once a KPMG accountant before deciding to make a big career switch. In 2021, Ruskan joined the US Coast Guard. He completed basic training and then attended Aviation Survival Technician (AST) school in Petaluma, California, one of the most demanding military training programs in the country, according to a report by the New York Post. After graduation, he was stationed in Corpus Christi, Texas, where he continued his advanced training and learned to operate with the MH-65 Dolphin helicopter. The recent Texas floods marked his very first real-life rescue mission. The scale of the mission and Ruskan's role in it quickly caught national attention. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem praised him on social media, calling him an 'American hero.' 'United States Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer and Petty Officer Scott Ruskan directly saved an astonishing 165 victims in the devastating flooding in central Texas. This was the first rescue mission of his career and he was the only triage coordinator at the scene,' Noem wrote. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But Ruskan, now hailed as a hero, was quick to shift the spotlight. 'The real heroes, I think, were the kids on the ground,' he said. 'Those guys are heroic. They were dealing with some of the worst times of their lives, and they were staying strong, and that helped inspire me to get in there and help them out.' With input from agencies
Hindustan Times
17 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Texas inspectors signed off on Camp Mystic's disaster plan just 2 days before deadly flood
Texas inspectors signed off on Camp Mystic's emergency planning just two days before catastrophic flooding killed more than two dozen people at the all-girls Christian summer camp, most of them children. Debris covers the area of Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas, Monday, July 7, 2025, after a flash flood swept through the area. (AP) The Department of State Health Services released records Tuesday showing the camp complied with a host of state regulations regarding 'procedures to be implemented in case of a disaster.' Among them: instructing campers what to do if they need to evacuate and assigning specific duties to each staff member and counselor. Five years of inspection reports released to The Associated Press do not offer any details of those plans at Mystic, raising new questions about the camp's preparedness ahead of the torrential July 4 rainfall in flood-prone Texas Hill Country. The National Weather Service had issued a flood watch for the area on July 3 at 1:18 p.m. That danger prompted at least one of the roughly 18 camps along the Guadalupe River to move dozens of campers to higher ground. Camp Mystic, established in 1926, did not do that and was especially hard hit when the river rose from 14 feet (4.2 meters) to 29.5 feet (9 meters) within 60 minutes in the early morning hours of the disaster. Flooding on that stretch of the Guadalupe starts at about 10 feet (3 meters). A wall of water overwhelmed people in cabins, tents and trailers along the river's edge. Some survivors were found clinging to trees. The uncertainty about what happened at Mystic comes as local officials have repeatedly dodged questions about who was monitoring the weather and what measures were taken ahead of the flooding. At least 27 campers and counselors died during the floods, and officials said Tuesday that five campers and one counselor have still not been found. Among the dead was Richard 'Dick' Eastland, the camp's beloved director described by campers as a father figure. The potential for heavy rains had put precautions in motion as the state activated an emergency response plan and moved resources into the central Texas area. The state inspected Camp Mystic on July 2, the same day the Texas Division of Emergency Management activated emergency response resources ahead of the anticipated flooding. The inspection found no deficiencies or violations at the camp in a long list of health and safety criteria. The camp had 557 campers and more than 100 staffers at the time between its Guadalupe and Cypress Lake locations. The disaster plans are required to be posted in all camp buildings but aren't filed with the state, said Lara Anton, a spokesperson for the Texas Department of State Health Services. 'We do not have them,' Anton wrote in an email. 'You'd have to get it from the camp.' Camp Mystic did not respond to requests for comment on its emergency plan. In a statement on its website, the camp said it has been 'in communication with local and state authorities who are tirelessly deploying extensive resources to search for our missing girls.' Camp Mystic notes that it is licensed by the state and a member of the Camping Association for Mutual Progress, which says its goal is to 'raise health and safety standards' for summer camps. Leaders of that association didn't return messages. The American Camp Association said Tuesday that Camp Mystic is not accredited with that organization, whose standards focus on safety and risk management. Spokesperson Lauren McMillin declined to say whether the camp previously had been accredited with the association, which describes itself as 'the only nationwide accrediting organization for all year-round and summer camps.' One rain gauge about a mile (1.6 kilometers) from Camp Mystic recorded 9.5 inches (24 centimeters) of precipitation July 4, according to Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority data. Another of the agency's gauges — further south and to the west — recorded 12.2 inches (31 centimeters) of precipitation. The authority told the AP that a review of its equipment found both were functioning during the flood event. However, at least four United States Geological Survey gauges along the Guadalupe River experienced some level of failure July 4. The gauges, located near Hunt and Kerrville, stopped collecting both river levels and the flow rate of water in the early morning hours of July 4. One gauge, about 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) east of Hunt and 5 miles (8 kilometers) northeast of Camp Mystic, recorded a level of 29.5 feet (9 meters) at 4:35 a.m. on July 4, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data. It was the last recorded river level from the instrumentation until a USGS hydrologist installed a temporary gauge. At the time, the hydrologist measured the high water mark at 37.52 feet (11.44 meters), a preliminary estimate that could change. At that location, a river level of 32 feet (9.75 meters) could lead to 'disastrous life-threatening flooding,' which could cover the roads of the lowest camps and resorts, according to NOAA.
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First Post
18 hours ago
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Certified safe, proven fatal: Camp Mystic's disaster plan under scrutiny after deadly Texas flood
Five years of Camp Mystic inspection reports revealed that key details regarding the implementation of safety and emergency measures were missing read more A Camp Mystic sign is seen at the site. Source: AP Texas' ill-fated Camp Mystic may not have been following state regulations regarding emergency measures, despite it having received green light from state inspectors just two days before flash flooding killed more than two dozen people at the all-girls Christian summer camp. News agency Associated Press accessed five years of inspection reports and found that key details regarding the implementation of safety and emergency measures were missing. On Tuesday (July 8), the Department of State Health Services released documents showing how the camp was following state regulations regarding disaster response. Among them was instructing campers what to do if they need to evacuate and assigning specific duties to each staff member and counsellor. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD However, inspection reports accessed by AP didn't have those details. How tragedy unfolded The camp, whose history dates back to 1926, didn't order immediate evacuation even after the Guadalupe River rose from 14 feet (4.2 meters) to 29.5 feet (9 meters) within an hour. According to figures released Tuesday, at least 27 campers and counsellors died during the floods. Among the dead was Richard 'Dick' Eastland, the camp's beloved director described by campers as a father figure. 'Never received emergency instructions' Charlotte Lauten, 19, attended Camp Mystic for nine summers, most recently in 2023. She noted that she never received guidance as a camper on handling weather emergencies. Lauten mentioned that the darkness likely made it difficult for the girls to escape. She explained that campers lack access to phones during camp and that the remote location has no cell service. Nod from inspectors On July 2, the Texas Department of State Health Services inspected Camp Mystic, coinciding with the Texas Division of Emergency Management's activation of emergency resources due to expected flooding. The inspection found no issues across numerous health and safety standards. At the time, the camp hosted 557 campers and over 100 staff members across its Guadalupe and Cypress Lake sites. Lara Anton, a spokesperson for the Texas Department of State Health Services, stated that while disaster plans must be displayed in all camp buildings, they are not required to be submitted to the state. 'We do not have them,' Anton said in an email. 'You'd have to get it from the camp.' 'The inspector checked that they had plans posted for those elements in every building,' Anton said, 'and that they had trained staff and volunteers on what to do.'
