Alabama 8-year-old among dozens killed as floods sweep Texas summer camp
An 8-year-old from Alabama is among dozens dead after floodwaters swept through a Christian girls camp July 4 in Texas.
Mountain Brook Mayor Stewart Welch confirmed the death of Sarah Marsh, a student at Cherokee Bend Elementary.
"This is an unimaginable loss for her family, her school, and our entire community," Welch said in a statement posted to Facebook. "Sarah's passing is a sorrow shared by all of us, and our hearts are with those who knew and loved her.
"As we grieve alongside the Marsh family, we also remember the many others affected by this tragedy. In the days ahead, I know Mountain Brook will do what it always does which is come together with passion, strength, and unwavering support for the Marsh family."
At least 43 were reported dead in the flooding (28 adults and 15 children), according to a Saturday evening press conference. Sheriff Larry Leitha said earlier in the day Saturday that at least 32 people died – 18 adults and 14 children.
When the flash flood struck early on Friday, Camp Mystic was less than a week into its second four-week term with more than 700 children in residence, according to details provided Friday by Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick. At least 18 adults and nine children had been confirmed dead after flooding rains rapidly overwhelmed the Guadalupe River. Ongoing search and rescue efforts ran through the night Friday and into Saturday.
More: Death toll rises in Texas flooding; over two dozen campers missing from Camp Mystic
U.S. Sen. Katie Britt said in a statement posted to X that she was heartbroken over Sarah's death.
"We continue to pray for the victims' loved ones, the survivors, those who are still missing, and our brave first responders as search and rescue efforts continue in Texas," Britt said.
Camp Mystic for Girls is a Christian retreat about six miles south of Hunt, Texas, in Kerr County. That's within Texas Hill Country, about 80 miles northwest of San Antonio.
The Guadalupe River rose 26 feet during the flash flood, weather service data shows.
USA TODAY reporters Jeanine Santucci, Joel Shannon and Eduardo Cuevas contributed to this story.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Texas flood: Alabama 8-year-old dies as floodwaters hit Camp Mystic
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Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
What early warnings did flood-hit Texas receive?
Nearly 80 people have been killed after devastating flash floods swept through parts of central Texas. Rescue efforts are ongoing and the total number of casualties remains unconfirmed, though officials warn the death toll will rise. Questions have been raised about whether adequate flood warnings were provided and why people weren't evacuated ahead of the deluge. Most of the fatalities, including 28 children, were in Kerr County, where a girls' camp was inundated. Judge Rob Kelly, the top elected official in Kerr County, told CBS the severity of the flooding had been unexpected. "We had no reason to believe that this was gonna be any, anything like what's happened here. None whatsoever," Kelly said. The flash floods began on Thursday night and continued into Friday morning, with meteorologists saying several months' worth of rain fell in just a few hours. Within the space of 45 minutes, the Guadalupe River rose by 26ft (8m), causing it to burst its banks. On Wednesday, the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) activated state emergency response resources because of "increased threats of flooding in parts of West and Central Texas" On Thursday afternoon, the National Weather Service (NWS) issued a flood watch that highlighted Kerr County, central Texas, as a place at high risk of flash flooding overnight At 01:14 local time (06:14 GMT) on Friday a flash flood warning was issued for Kerr Country At 04:03 local time (09:30 GMT) an emergency flash flood warning was issued for Kerr County, followed by another for the Guadalupe River at 05:34 At a news conference on Sunday, Governor Greg Abbott said people in Texas are used to flash flood warnings. "But there's no expectation of a water wall of almost 30ft high," he added. Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, told reporters: "You have areas where there is no cell phone coverage, plus some coverage. "It doesn't matter how many alert systems you sign up for, you're not going to get that." The public can get desensitised to too many weather warnings, said Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice, according to the Associated Press. A girls' summer camp cut tragically short by a 'horrific' deluge Dozens missing in Texas floods as more rain looms He said he didn't notice any problems and that it was only raining lightly at 03:30 Friday when he went jogging along the Guadalupe River trail. But by 05:20, the water had risen so fast "we almost weren't able to get out of the park", he said. Judge Kelly said there is no county-administered warning system in the area because such systems are expensive. He said that about six years ago, before he took office, the county had looked into a flood warning system along the river, similar to a tornado warning siren. Because of the cost, however, it was never implemented. The NWS said it was "heartbroken by the tragic loss of life in Kerr County" and defended itself. "On July 3, the NWS office in Austin/San Antonio, TX conducted forecast briefings for emergency management in the morning and issued a Flood Watch in the early afternoon. Flash Flood Warnings were issued on the night of July 3 and in the early morning of July 4, giving preliminary lead times of more than three hours before warning criteria were met." After some officials in Texas appeared to blame the NWS for underestimating the rainfall, former Weather Service officials told the New York Times newspaper that the forecasts were as good as they could have been given the huge amounts of rainfall and storm's abrupt escalation. Before the tragedy, there had been concerns over the Trump administration's budget cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - the government agency that operates the National Weather Service. The Fiscal Year 2026 budget includes cuts and closures of some weather research laboratories, while the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) has slashed hundreds of employees at NOAA and the NWS. Meteorologists in the US and elsewhere have expressed concerns over "reduced number of weather balloons" that observe wind, relative humidity and pressure above the ground. They claim that budget cuts have resulted in 20% fewer weather balloons being released for such observations, impacting the accuracy of weather forecasting. The New York Times reported that critical positions of the NWS were vacant on Friday morning, with some experts questioning whether staffing shortages had impeded the agency's efforts to coordinate with local emergency managers. However, Tom Fahy, legislative director of the NWS Employees Organization, told NBC News: "The WFOs [weather forecasting offices] had adequate staffing and resources as they issued timely forecasts and warnings leading up to the storm". And the Associated Press quoted Jason Runyen, a meteorologist in the National Weather Service office, as saying their office that delivers forecasts for that part of central Texas had extra staff on duty at the time of the storms - five, instead of the usual two. Asked whether the tragedy was due to "fundamental failure" by the government to provide early warnings, US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the "weather is difficult to predict", but that President Donald Trump was seeking to modernise the current system. In response to questions during a Sunday press conference about the impact of cuts to the NWS, she said that she would "carry your concerns back to the federal government". Over the years the NWS had done well, Noem said, but "we know that everybody wants more warning time, and that's why we're working to upgrade the technologies that have been neglected for far too long". Noem said that it was difficult for forecasters to predict how much rain would fall but that the Trump administration would make it a priority to upgrade the technology used to deliver warnings. She added that when Trump took office he "wanted to fix and is currently upgrading the technology" and that "reforms are ongoing". Trump is planning a possible visit to the area on Friday.
Fox News
25 minutes ago
- Fox News
Young Texas camp survivor describes harrowing moment she prepared for worst during deadly flood
A young camper who was rescued from Camp Mystic described the harrowing ordeal as catastrophic floods pummeled Central Texas. "We went to bed thinking it was just a normal thunderstorm. One minute you see lightning strike next to your cabin, and next to you, you hear water's coming up," 16-year-old Callie McAlary described on 'Fox Report.' "And you have kids running just trying to get to other cabins, trying to get to safety. And luckily, my cabin was one of the few cabins that did not get water, but the cabins in front of us did get some water," McAlary continued. McAlary's mother, Tara Bradburn, also reflected on the tragic flooding, saying that despite living in Virginia now, the camp had been a huge part of their lives as McAlary had been attending the camp since she was in second grade. "We chose this camp. I was a Texan. It was important to me that my child have Texas roots," Bradburn shared. "Living in Virginia, we brought her to Camp Mystic and turned her over to the Dick and Tweedy Eastland family and Camp Mystics and their staff because we knew they would love on our child. They would help her grow in her faith and live the Mystic ideals of being a better person and bringing out the best in her," Bradburn continued. "We are so devastated by what has happened, but truly grateful and thankful to the Eastland family for all they have done and all they've given as a family to save the children that they could." Bradburn weighed in on how devastating that evening was for her daughter and how fast everything turned into a nightmare. "Even up on Senior Hill, I think that conveys to you how fast the water came up and how high it came and how it was a 100-year historic flash flood. We had never seen anything like this. And I cannot say enough about what these young counselors did to calm these girls and to ensure their safety," Bradburn said. "And what the men and the staff and the Eastland family did to try to help everyone that they could – they are heroes. And those young girls and those young counselors that our young girls were under for the summer were remarkable and were brave and were strong and saved so many children and kept so many children calm so that decisions could be made to keep other girls safe and move them to safety." McAlary continued to describe the night and the moment she realized something was terribly wrong. "We heard one second, it was really bad thunder. I woke up to a big giant sound of thunder and lightning striking," McAlary recalled. "We heard one of the campers run in and say, 'hey, our cabin is flooding." I knew some girls slept on trunks that night, some girls had to share beds, some girls slept on floors because they couldn't go back to their cabin because it was so flooded in three cabins." In an effort to protect herself and prepare for the worst-case scenario, McAlary put a name tag on her body in the middle of the night. "I put on my name tag because I was scared that if water was coming out next to other cabins that our cabin might be next. And I just put it on just for safekeeping… in my head I was saying, 'if something does happen, and I do get swept away, at least I'll have my name on my body,'" McAlary explained. Bradburn shared that both her and her husband had worked for the Department of Defense and each spent "many times in war zones on behalf of this nation," and spoken to McAlary "more times than she could count" about staying safe in any environment. "This was not an environment we had ever thought we would have to prepare her for. That comment to me as a parent when she got off that helicopter and finally came into my arms and I saw this name tag on her, and it was the camp name tag she was issued on the day she arrived. It resonated with me that somewhere those little lessons that we gave her as parents years ago and throughout her life resonated with her in that moment," Bradburn said. Despite her daughter being alive and safe, Bradburn said they are devastated for so many families that are missing loved ones. "There are no answers. This is a lot emotionally for anyone. And it's something as parents, we owe our child to try to be strong for her and to ensure that she also has the help she needs moving forward," Bradburn said. McAlary said she is now holding on to hope that the rest of her friends and all those who are missing are found soon. "I really hope those kids that are missing are found. I knew a lot of those kids and a lot of those kids the night before hugged me before we all went to bed. And it's hard to think about that one minute they were hugging me and the next minute they could be gone." Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Central Texas flooding death toll rises to at least 79 as search continues for survivors
A small boat is wrapped around a tree along with other debris in Ingram on Saturday, July 5, 2025. Ingram is a small town about seven miles northwest of Kerrville. (Photo by Ronaldo Bolaños/The Texas Tribune) Search and rescue efforts continued Sunday morning for 10 missing girls and one counselor from Camp Mystic, a Christian camp for young girls at the center of the catastrophic floods that swept the Texas Hill Country, local officials said at a news conference. At least 68 people were killed by the flooding in Kerr County, Sheriff Larry Leitha said. At least 11 additional deaths were confirmed in surrounding counties, pushing the storm's overall toll to at least 79. That surpassed the estimated 68 deaths directly caused by Hurricane Harvey in southeast Texas in 2017. The National Weather Service issued another warning Sunday afternoon for Kerr County, indicating that more flash floods would be possible in the area until 10 p.m. More than 400 first responders from over 20 agencies were on the ground combing the area Sunday, Leitha said. Among the dead in Kerr County were 28 children and 30 adults. 'We have increased our number of personnel who are navigating the really challenging shores along the bank line, but we're continuing to make progress,' said Dalton Rice, city manager of Kerrville. [In Texas region prone to catastrophic floods, questions grow about lack of warning] Friends and families posted desperate messages online seeking help locating the missing campers. Many more people could still be unaccounted for, officials warned, noting that visitors to the area for the July 4th weekend make it difficult to assess an exact number of people unaccounted for. 'We will be relentless in going after and assuring that we locate every single person who's been a victim of this flooding event,' Gov. Greg Abbott said during a news conference held earlier in the day with state and federal officials. At a press conference Sunday afternoon, Abbott said he visited Camp Mystic the previous day and saw the aftermath of the flood's devastation. 'It was nothing short of horrific to see what those young children went through,' he said. 'We know that parents and families, they want information, they want closure, and we want them to know that we are working as swiftly as possible to get them accurate information that will provide that closure.' Colonel Freeman Martin, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said officials expect the death toll to rise between Sunday and Monday. Abbott expanded the disaster declaration he issued Friday night to include Bexar, Burnet, Caldwell, Guadalupe, Travis and Williamson counties given continued rain and ongoing flooding. And on Sunday, President Donald Trump approved Abbott's request for a federal disaster declaration, making Kerr County eligible for federal aid. The move opens up grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals recover from the effects of the disaster. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Saturday said that the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Border Patrol had already been involved in rescue efforts while U.S. Customs and Border Protection were assisting with coordination. In the span of 36 hours, first responders have rescued more than 850 people, some clinging to trees to stay safe amid the rising water, Abbott said. In response to criticisms of the warning provided by National Weather Service ahead of the flood, Noem said upgrading their technology was among the reforms Trump sought to make at the department. However, the agency has been dealing with staffing shortages after cuts by the Trump administration led to nearly 600 layoffs and retirements. Whether those cuts had any effect on the National Weather Service's ability to predict or warn people of the oncoming flood remains an open question. Though, the agency itself said it had adequate staffing. As floodwaters receded in the Kerrville area, the damage was becoming clear. Dozens of tree trunks were snapped in half, some at 90 degree angles. Black and silver power lines were tangled with branches along the side of the road. A few tree trunks appeared to have been stripped bare of their bark from the rushing water. At Cross Kingdom Church, Pastor Justin Carpenter started collecting clothing, nonperishable food, toiletries and cat and dog food Friday afternoon. They had reached capacity with donations and were turning other potential helpers away. So far, only about half a dozen people had shown up seeking help. Because the areas most affected has lost cell service, it's been hard to reach people in need. 'The biggest thing would be to get the word out into the community that we're here and ready to give everything out,' he said. Billy Lawrence, a 73-year-old San Angelo man, has dealt with this type of tragedy before. During flooding in the summer of 1987, he spent more than 30 days looking for bodies. The first one he found was of a child in a tree, 20 feet up. But he said this flood is twice as bad as it was in 1987. On Saturday, he was back patrolling the river for bodies. A former volunteer with the Red Cross, he said he's gotten used to the morbid practice. 'I'm used to death. I've been around it a lot,' Lawrence said. He noted there are about 20 camps along the river in this area and said the camp counselors should receive training to check the weather every night. 'I'm not blaming them. They just have to do that,' he said. President Donald Trump expressed his condolences in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social. 'Melania and I are praying for all of the families impacted by this horrible tragedy,' Trump wrote. 'Our Brave First Responders are on site doing what they do best. GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS!' About 10 inches of rain fell within a few hours, causing flooding along the Guadalupe River which rose 26 feet in 45 minutes. The death toll in an area historically prone to major flooding has raised questions about whether people near the river, including many vacationers in town for the Fourth of July weekend, received sufficient warning. The private forecasting company AccuWeather and the National Weather Service sent warnings about potential flash flooding hours before the devastation. 'These warnings should have provided officials with ample time to evacuate camps such as Camp Mystic and get people to safety,' AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter said in a statement that called the Texas Hill Country one of the most flash-flood-prone areas of the U.S. because of its terrain and many water crossings. Local officials defended their actions Friday while saying they had not expected such an intense downpour that was the equivalent of months' worth of rain for the area. One National Weather Service forecast earlier in the week had called for up to six inches of rain, said Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management. 'It did not predict the amount of rain that we saw,' he said. However, Porter emphasized that people and officials should always take safety precautions when there is a potential for flooding. 'People, businesses, and governments should take action based on Flash Flood Warnings that are issued, regardless of the rainfall amounts that have occurred or are forecast,' Porter said. 'Flash Flood Warnings indicate an immediate risk to life and property in the warned area.' At the Sunday afternoon news conference, Abbott said local officials in Kerrville faced a tough decision about whether to order residents to evacuate after the flash flood warnings. 'It's a difficult decision about whether or not to begin evacuating people, because if you have a warning telling everybody to evacuate, you could actually lead them to their death,' Abbott said. 'But we know that some deaths in Kerrville were people … who got swept away who were trying to evacuate, and so local officials know best about the terrain, the danger spots and things like that.' Graphics by Chris Essig and Edison Wu. Hayden Betts and The Associated Press contributed reporting. 'Central Texas flooding death toll rises to at least 79 as search continues for survivors' was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues. Sign up for The Brief, The Texas Tribune's daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.
