Photos show scenes from the Texas floods and the summer camp where 10 children remain missing
Officials said 10 children and one counselor from Camp Mystic, a Christian girls' camp along the Guadalupe River, remained unaccounted for. In areas affected by the flooding across the state, there are still 41 known missing people.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said the Guadalupe River rose 26 feet in 45 minutes on Friday as torrential rain battered the region. The National Weather Service said the river reached the second-highest height on record.
The agency on Sunday extended a flood watch for parts of central Texas through 7 p.m. local time.
Here are some images showing the impact of the flooding and ongoing search and rescue efforts.
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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Death toll in central Texas flash floods rises to 82 as sheriff says 10 campers remain missing
KERRVILLE, Texas (AP) — Families sifted through waterlogged debris Sunday and stepped inside empty cabins at Camp Mystic, an all-girls summer camp ripped apart by flash floods that washed homes off their foundations and killed at least 82 people in central Texas. Rescuers maneuvering through challenging terrain, high waters and snakes including water moccasins continued their desperate search for the missing, including 10 girls and a counselor from the camp. For the first time since the storms began pounding Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott said there were 41 people confirmed to be unaccounted for across the state and more could be missing. In Kerr County, home to Camp Mystic and other youth camps in the Texas Hill Country, searchers have found the bodies of 68 people, including 28 children, Sheriff Larry Leitha said in the afternoon. He pledged to keep searching until 'everybody is found' from Friday's flash floods. Ten other deaths were reported in Travis, Burnet, Kendall, Tom Green and Williamson counties, according to local officials. The death toll is certain to rise over the next few days, said Col. Freeman Martin of the Texas Department of Public Safety. The governor warned that additional rounds of heavy rains lasting into Tuesday could produce more life-threatening flooding, especially in places already saturated. As he spoke at a news conference in Austin, emergency alerts lit up mobile phones in Kerr County that warned of 'High confidence of river flooding" and a loudspeaker near Camp Mystic urged people to leave. Minutes later, however, authorities on the scene said there was no risk. Families were allowed to look around the camp beginning Sunday morning. One girl walked out of a building carrying a large bell. A man, who said his daughter was rescued from a cabin on the highest point in the camp, walked a riverbank, looking in clumps of trees and under big rocks. A woman and a teenage girl, both wearing rubber waders, briefly went inside one of the cabins, which stood next to a pile of soaked mattresses, a storage trunk and clothes. At one point, the pair doubled over, sobbing before they embraced. One family left with a blue footlocker. A teenage girl had tears running down her face looking out the open window, gazing at the wreckage as they slowly drove away. Searching the disaster zone While the families saw the devastation for the first time, nearby crews operating heavy equipment pulled tree trunks and tangled branches from the water as they searched the river. With each passing hour, the outlook of finding more survivors became even more bleak. Volunteers and some families of the missing who drove to the disaster zone searched the riverbanks despite being asked not to do so. Authorities faced growing questions about whether enough warnings were issued in an area long vulnerable to flooding and whether enough preparations were made. President Donald Trump signed a major disaster declaration Sunday for Kerr County, activating the Federal Emergency Management Agency to Texas. The president said he would likely visit Friday. 'I would have done it today, but we'd just be in their way,' he told reporters before boarding Air Force One back to Washington after spending the weekend at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. 'It's a horrible thing that took place, absolutely horrible.' The destructive, fast-moving waters rose 26 feet (8 meters) on the river in only 45 minutes before daybreak 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. Prayers in Texas — and from the Vatican Gov. 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. "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. 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, '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.' The hills along the Guadalupe River are dotted with century-old youth camps and campgrounds where generations of families have come to swim and enjoy the outdoors. The area is especially popular around the Independence Day holiday, making it more difficult to know how many are missing. Harrowing escapes from floodwaters Survivors shared terrifying stories of being swept away and clinging to trees as rampaging floodwaters carried trees and cars past them. Others fled to attics inside their homes, praying the water wouldn't reach them. At Camp Mystic, a cabin full of girls held onto a rope strung by rescuers as they walked across a bridge with water whipping around their legs. Among those confirmed dead were an 8-year-old girl from Mountain Brook, Alabama, who was at Camp Mystic, and the director of another camp up the road. Two school-age sisters from Dallas were missing after their cabin was swept away. Their parents were staying in a different cabin and were safe, but the girls' grandparents were unaccounted for. Locals know the Hill Country as ' flash flood alley' but the flooding in the middle of the night caught many campers and residents by surprise even though there were warnings. Warnings came before the disaster The National Weather Service on Thursday advised of potential flooding and then sent out a series of flash flood warnings in the early hours of Friday before issuing flash flood emergencies — a rare alert notifying of imminent danger. At the Mo-Ranch Camp in the community of Hunt, officials had been monitoring the weather and opted to move several hundred campers and attendees at a church youth conference to higher ground. At nearby Camps Rio Vista and Sierra Vista, organizers also had mentioned on social media that they were watching the weather the day before ending their second summer session Thursday. Authorities and elected officials have said they did not expect such an intense downpour, the equivalent of months' worth of rain for the area. Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said authorities are committed to a full review of the emergency response, including how the public was alerted to the storm threat. Trump, asked whether he was still planning to phase out the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said that was something 'we can talk about later, but right now we are busy working.' He has previously said he wants to overhaul if not completely eliminate FEMA and has been sharply critical of its performance. Trump also was asked whether he planned to rehire any of the federal meteorologists who were fired this year as part of widespread government spending reductions. 'I would think not. This was a thing that happened in seconds. Nobody expected it. Nobody saw it. Very talented people there, and they didn't see it,' the president said. ___ Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio. Contributing to this report were Associated Press writers Christopher Weber in Los Angeles; Adrian Sainz in Memphis, Tennessee; Cedar Attanasio in New York; Sophia Tareen in Chicago; Michelle Price in Morristown, N.J.; and Nicole Winfield in Rome.
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Tropical Storm Chantal Floods Parts of North Carolina
Tropical Storm Chantal dumped up to 10 inches of rain in parts of North Carolina on Sunday, bringing significant flooding that inundated homes, closed roads, stranded drivers and threatened to push rivers to near historic levels. The worst impacts of the storm were felt in the central part of the state, where tens of thousands of people were without power, emergency responders rescued people trapped in their vehicles, and at least two tornadoes were confirmed, the authorities said. As of early Monday, no fatalities or injuries had been reported. Forecasters said the storm, which made landfall early on Sunday in South Carolina before moving inland as a tropical depression, was expected to continue to move northeast toward Southern Maryland and possibly as far as New Jersey. 'While things will improve across North Carolina, they may worsen for areas further to the northeast,' said Frank Pereira, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. 'We're advising people not to go out and travel unless absolutely necessary,' he said. In central North Carolina, the storm downed trees and power lines and inundated roads, trapping several drivers who had to be rescued, according to local authorities. Footage posted to social media appeared to show cars in the town of Chapel Hill, southwest of Durham, half submerged by floodwaters. About 60 miles south, in Southern Pines, N.C., a private dam broke, contributing to the flooding, said Mike Cameron, the assistant town manager and fire chief. He said emergency responders had rescued three people trapped in vehicles. Though the storm has slowed, forecasters said that it could still dump large amounts of rain along its path, leading to flash flooding. Where did it rain? Flash flooding can occur well inland and away from the storm's center. Even weaker storms can produce excessive rainfall that can flood low-lying areas. Recorded rainfall for the last day 0.5 1 2 5 10+ inches The New York Times As of early Sunday morning, parts of North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania remained under flood warnings or watches. The greatest risk of flooding was in urban areas, said Mr. Pereira, the meteorologist. There was also the potential for heavy surf and rip currents along much of the east coast, he said. The Atlantic hurricane season started on June 1 and runs through Nov. 30. There have been two tropical storms so far: Andrea, which formed on June 24 and dissipated a day later, and Barry, which formed in the Gulf on Sunday just off Mexico's coast before making landfall that night. In May, forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted that this year would be an above-average hurricane season, with 13 to 19 named storms. Typically, the most destructive storms come later in the summer. Experts think it is probable that a major hurricane will make landfall in the United States this season. Climate experts have warned that intense storms like these are more likely to occur, with more rapid intensification likely in a warming world. Last year was also one of the most costly for hurricanes in the United States.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Kerrville didn't have weather sirens used by other cities
AUSTIN (KXAN) – At a Friday news conference, Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said he 'can't answer' why camps weren't evacuated but acknowledged: 'We do not have a warning system.' 'We didn't know this flood was coming,' Kelly told reporters. 'Rest assured, no one knew this kind of flood was coming. We have floods all the time. This is the most dangerous river valley in the United States and we deal with floods on a regular basis. When it rains, we get water. We had no reason to believe that this was going to be anything like what's happened here. None whatsoever.' Nicole Wilson, 42, watched the news conference from her home in San Antonio and was 'blown away.' Wilson told KXAN two of her friends have daughters that were at Camp Mystic and one had a son at Camp La Junta. All three children are accounted for. One of the girl's cousins, however, is still missing, she said. 'Just not having those plans in place is crazy to think about,' she said. 'That they wouldn't have risk mitigation in place when you're surrounded by water.' Conflicting officials, social posts leave evacuation delay questions in Kerr County flooding While the National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings and the city of Kerrville's Facebook paged warned to 'move to higher ground immediately,' the young campers at Camp Mystic likely wouldn't have seen that since cell phones, smart watches, iPads and anything with Wi-Fi capability were considered 'unacceptable electronic devices' to bring and 'not allowed,' according to a recent list of instructions sent to parents. Camp Mystic is located less than 20 miles west of Kerrville in Hunt, which is in Kerr County. Wilson was born and raised in Kentucky, where she said outdoor weather sirens – primarily used for tornadoes – were common. On July 5, she started a online petition 'urgently' calling for Kerrville and Kerr County to implement an outdoor early warning siren system for life-threatening emergencies, like flooding. So far, she said she's received 'a lot of positive feedback on that.' 'The tragic events at Camp Mystic and the devastating flooding along the Guadalupe River that happened in July are stark reminders that severe weather can strike with little notice,' Wilson wrote. 'A well-placed siren system will provide critical extra minutes for families, schools, camps, businesses, and visitors to seek shelter and evacuate when needed. This is not just a wish – it is a necessary investment in public safety.' Indeed, outdoor weather alert systems are not required by any federal or state law. The choice is left up to local leaders. On Friday morning, less than 20 miles from Kerrville, emergency sirens blasted in the unincorporated Kendall County community of Comfort, according to a published report, signaling 'emergency conditions and a mandatory evacuation' as the Guadalupe River continued to rise. Sirens are typically activated by city or county officials, according to the NWS. 'I just think if they had five minutes [of warning time from a siren] longer, five to 10 minutes longer, and that's what those sirens give you …. and you know the counselors would have led them uphill …I don't believe we'd be in the scenario right now where we're searching for those girls,' said Wilson. Cities that use sirens, like San Marcos — which has 14 outdoor weather sirens to warn of floods, tornadoes and wildfires — have previously touted the outdoor warning system as a 'vital tool' for emergency preparedness. The sirens, called an Outdoor Warning System, are designed to quickly and loudly notify a community of threats to public safety, including severe weather. San Marcos notes its sirens emit unique sound patterns for different emergencies. Critics say they can be expensive, require regular maintenance, are primarily designed to be heard outdoors and aren't as effective as weather radios and mobile alerts. A single siren can cost an estimated $10,000 to $50,000 and multiple are sometimes needed. Austin doesn't have a city-wide outdoor weather siren system. In 2022, a city spokesperson told KXAN the fastest way to get information out is with 'the technology we have today' and there was a concern that sirens could 'cause confusion.' This past legislative session, lawmakers filed a bill that would have created a council to operate a grant program assisting local governments with acquiring emergency communications equipment. One of its tasks, if the bill had passed, would have been to develop a statewide strategic plan that included 'the use of outdoor warning sirens.' The council would have also been asked to 'develop and implement, as advisable, emergency alert systems and incorporate as necessary communication technologies into the emergency communications network of this state.' In 2018, Kerr County, along with the Upper Guadalupe River Authority, applied for a $1 million grant for a flood warning system. 'That application was not selected, okay. That's the bad news,' a commissioner said, according to Kerr County commissioner meeting minutes at the time. Two years later, in 2020, according to Kerr County meeting minutes, that same commissioner said: 'We've been trying to get a new flood warning system here.' The 2020 commissioner meeting is when Kerr County implemented IPAWS, or Integrated Public Alert & Warning System through FEMA, which is a free program offered through Kerr County's existing contract with CodeRed, a system it currently uses for mass emergency pre-recorded emergency telephone messages, according to Kerr County's website. The CodeRed system is also used in Kerrville with the caveat that it relies on White Pages data and residents should not 'assume their number is included.' As of 2023, Kerr County Commissioners' Court meeting minutes show the county was still discussing grant options for flood mitigation assistance to include research on engineering and infrastructure for flood prevention measures. In an interview with the New York Times, Kelly said one reason Kerr County doesn't have a flood warning system is due to the cost. 'Taxpayers won't pay for it,' Kelly is quoted as saying. Asked if residents might reconsider now, he responded: 'I don't know.' 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