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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The Independent
an hour 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.
Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
Texas floods summer camp miracle as two girls found alive 'clinging to tree'
The children have been rescued between Comfort and Homillus Road in Center Point. Two girls who were missing after devastating floods in Texas have been found alive, clinging onto a 30ft tree. Reports suggest that the two children have been rescued between Comfort and Homillus Road in Center Point. Witnesses said the girls were found as teams recovered four bodies from the area. It comes as there have been at least 59 confirmed deaths in the area. Among Kerr Country's confirmed dead are at least 21 children. The missing girls were from Camp Mystic, a riverside Christian camp in Hunt. As reported in the Mirror, the destructive, fast-moving waters rose 26 feet (8m) on the river in only 45 minutes before daybreak on Friday, washing away homes and vehicles. The danger was not over as flash flood watches remained in effect and more rain fell in central Texas on Sunday. 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. Officials said more than 850 people were rescued in the first 36 hours. President Donald Trump signed a major disaster declaration for Kerr County today, activating the Federal Emergency Management Agency to Texas. Trump said: "These families are enduring an unimaginable tragedy, with many lives lost, and many still missing." Texas Governor Greg Abbott vowed that authorities will 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. He said: "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." In Rome, Pope Leo XIV offered special prayers for those touched by the disaster. History's first American pope spoke in English at the end of his Sunday noon blessing, saying: "I would like to express sincere condolences to all the families who have lost loved ones, in particular their daughters who were in summer camp, in the disaster caused by the flooding of the Guadalupe River in Texas in the United States. We pray for them."
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
All girls killed in horror floods pictured as time running out for missing kids
At least 70 people, 21 of whom are children, have died in the horrendous flash floods in Texas, with many victims being young girls swept away from the Camp Mystic holiday camp Flash floods swept through Texas on Friday, killing at least 70 people as the US was celebrating Independence Day. 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." Rescuers reportedly managed to locate two girls who took shelter in a tree, some 30ft up from the ground. They were found as the search effort continues, though time is running out. Authorities insist it is still a rescue operation. Sarah Marsh, 8 Sarah Marsh arrived at Camp Mystic from her home in Alabama and was confirmed by her family to have died in the floods. Her grandmother told The Kerrville Daily Times: "Thank you for the outpouring of love and sympathy! We will always feel blessed to have had this beautiful spunky ray of light in our lives." Eloise Peck, 8, and Lila Bonner, 9 Eloise Peck, from Dallas, Texas, had just finished the second grade at Bradfield Elementary alongside her best friend Lili, who also lost her life in the flood. Her mum, Missy, old Fox 4: "She passed away with her cabinmate and best friend Lila Bonner who also died. Eloise had a family who loved her fiercely for the 8 years she was with us. Especially her Mommy." Lila Bonner had been sharing a cabin at Camp Mystic with her best friend Eloise Peck when the deadly floods hit. Her family told NBC News: "In the midst of our unimaginable grief, we ask for privacy and are unable to confirm any details at this time. We ache with all who loved her and are praying endlessly for others to be spared from this tragic loss." Renee Smajstrla, 8 The family of little Renee confirmed in a Facebook post that she was among the victims. Shawn Salta, her uncle, said: "We are thankful she was with her friends and having the time of her life, as evidenced by this picture from yesterday. She will forever be living her best life at Camp Mystic." Janie Hunt, 9 The mum of Janie Hunt told local media that the nine-year-old had been killed after flood water raced through Camp Mystic. She told NBC 5: "We are just devastated." Brooke Harber, 11, and Blair Harber, 13 Brooke Harber was confirmed to have died on July 4, according to her priest Father Joshua J. Whitfield. He said: "Even if we may never fully understand why such tragedies happen, we are called to respond with love, compassion, and prayer." Blair was also killed in the floods with their grandparents while they stayed at a cabin near the Guadalupe River. The girls' parents had been staying at another cabin and are safe. Still missing There are a number of other young girls still missing who's names have not yet emerged. Further risks remain Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott said today Kerr County is under a federal disaster declaration. Mr Abbott repeated his warning about dangers in the next 24 to 48 hours that could pose "public safety threats", with more heavy rain expected. Officials said this could result in even more flash flooding. Affected areas include central Texas and Kerrville. Several other counties in Texas are subject to disaster declaration and need additional resources. Emergency services are working to find the remaining missing people who remain unaccounted for.
