Texas flash flooding: 21 children among at least 69 killed; DNA being collected to identify the dead

Sky News

9 hours ago

21:37:01
Camp Mystic counsellor 'lost everything' in flash floods as she rushed to save her campers
by Megan Harwood-Baynes, news reporter
A Camp Mystic counsellor, who woke up to her cabin of young girls screaming at 3am, has "lost everything" in the flash floods, her friend has told Sky News.
London Smith, 19, was working at the camp for the second summer in a row.
"She lost her family a couple of years ago so lives at this camp during the summer because she has nowhere else to go," her friend Alexis Lambert said.
"Camp has become her community and support system."
This meant everything she owned was inside the cabin when the flood water swept through in the middle of the night.
But London "stayed calm" and made sure her 17 campers evacuated safely.
A GoFundMe is raising money to try and replace some of her belongings, including her phone, ID and laptop - although it cannot replace the sentimental items she lost, including those from her father.
"She has worked so hard to build her life and support herself through college," the fundraiser says.
"She spends her summers at Camp Mystic mentoring young girls and using what she earns to help pay for school at [Dallas Baptist University] in the fall."
It has raised more than $15,000 (£10,980) in just a matter of hours.
21:09:58
Camp Mystic confirms 27 people died at the site in first statement since tragedy struck
At least 27 people at Camp Mystic in Texas died from the flooding of the Guadalupe River, the camp confirmed in a statement to Sky's US partner NBC News.
It is the first official statement from the camp since the tragedy struck.
An unknown number of others connected to the camp remain unaccounted for.
The camp said it is working with local and state officials to try to locate the 11 girls who remain missing.
"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 camp's statement said.
21:06:55
Authorities are collecting DNA from families for rapid tests to identify the dead
Police are collecting DNA from family members to help identify those who have died in the floods, officials have said.
Colonel Freeman Martin, from the Texas Department of Public Safety, says there are several "unidentified" people at funeral homes, both adults and children.
Authorities are collecting the DNA from family members and having it flown to the University of North Texas in Dallas.
"We will have rapid DNA in hours, not days, to get some closure and information back to those families."
21:03:32
Warning issued to Texas drivers for next 48 hours
More rainfall could lead to "rapid flash flooding events", the governor is urging.
He says some lives lost across Texas happened when people were swept away in vehicles.
"Rising water on roads can occur very rapidly. You may think you can drive through it, only to find out when you're in there that it is too late and you are getting swept away."
He is urging people to be "extraordinarily cautious" for the next 48 hours.
"You don't need to get from point A to point B if you are going to risk your life," he says, telling people to "turn around, don't drown".
20:57:17
'We don't know who they are': Still not known how many are missing in floods
Greg Abbott is asking relatives of people who may have been camping in Kerr County to contact local authorities.
In Kerr County, 59 people have died, and 11 children are still missing from Camp Mystic. In central Texas, a further ten are dead - this is the same death figure we were told earlier.
Across the state, there are 41 known people missing.
But due to the number of people who may have been camping unofficially in the area, it is difficult to know just who is missing, Gov. Abbott says.
"There are people who are missing who are not on the 'known confirmed missing' because we do not know who they are," he says.
But he urged people to call "only if you have specific information".
Gov. Abbott described his visit to Camp Mystic as "nothing short of horrific to see what those children had gone through".
He says officials are working to get "accurate information" to parents.
20:51:00
Texas governor now speaking
Greg Abbott is now giving an update - it had been due to start at 8.30pm UK time but was delayed.
He is speaking from Austin, Texas, not Kerrville, due to more expected storms that will pose life-threatening danger.
Yesterday, he was pictured visiting Camp Mystic, where 11 young girls and one camp counsellor are still missing.
20:06:27
Texas governor pictured visiting summer camp
Greg Abbott was pictured visiting the summer camp yesterday, where 11 girls and one camp counsellor are still missing.
Originally, 27 young girls were missing from the camp after flash floods swept through the area.
Buildings are missing walls, while soaking bedding is seen piled up outside one cabin.
The Texas Governor previously said efforts remain focused on finding survivors.
"There's a need for speed, not just every hour, every minute counts, which is why there are people in the air, people in the water, people on the ground right now, because they're looking to save every last life," he said.
19:39:01
Texas-based football teams and NFL donate $1.5m to relief efforts
Two Texas-based football teams are donating half a million dollars to aid relief efforts.
The Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans are each donating $500,000.
It is part of a wider £1.5m donation that is being made alongside the NFL foundation.
In a statement, the Dallas Cowboys said it was "standing side by side with The Salvation Army's critical response" and was donating half a million dollars to provide "immediate resources for rescue, relief and long-term recovery efforts".
19:26:01
Shakira donates profits from Texas show to flood victims
Shakira has said she will donate a portion of the proceeds she made from her concert last night in San Antonio, Texas, to flood victims.
She added a link in posts on X and Instagram if fans "would like to join" her in giving to the Catholic Charities of San Antonio, which is working on disaster relief.
The water in Texas rose 26 feet in 45 minutes : Here's what we know about flash floods
Flash floods are the nation's top storm-related killers, according to the National Weather Service.
At least 69 people have died, with 11 girls still missing from a summer camp in central Texas.
A flash flood is flooding that begins within six hours, and often in as little as three hours, of heavy rainfall.
Waters rise so quickly that people are caught off guard, the weather service said.
Many people run into trouble while travelling because the water can rise so quickly that they get trapped before they have time to even think about escape.
This is what happened to residents and campers along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County.
Fast-moving waters along the river rose 26 feet (eight meters) in just 45 minutes before dawn Friday, washing away homes and vehicles.
What warnings were issued?
On Thursday afternoon, the National Weather Service issued a flood watch, estimating rising water of up to seven inches (17cm) in spots. This "watch" meant people should be prepared, but did not necessarily mean hazardous conditions would develop.
But overnight, the "watch" was upgraded to a flood warning for 30,000 people.
When officials were asked about how people were notified in Kerr County so that they could get to safety, Judge Rob Kelly, the county's chief elected official, said: "We do not have a warning system."
When pushed on why more precautions weren't taken, he added: "Rest assured, no one knew this kind of flood was coming."