Summer camp boss died trying to save kids from horror floods as 11 still missing

Daily Mirror

18 hours ago

The death toll now sits at 70 after flooding in Texas, US, caused chaos on Friday and swept away a children's summer camp.
Two "best friends" are among the girls who died at Camp Mystic, with 11 still missing. Rescuers are continuing to scour through mangled trees and debris along the swollen Guadalupe River in an increasingly bleak mission to locate survivors.
Authorities still have not said how many people are missing beyond the 11 children from Camp Mystic. The death toll is expected to keep rising.
The death toll is now at least 70 after searchers found more bodies. The latest death has been reported in Williamson County.
Kerrville County Sheriff Larry Leitha has confirmed 59 people, of which 21 are children, have been killed in the county.
He added that 11 girls at Camp Mystic as well as one councillor remain unaccounted for.
The US National Weather Service in Austin, Texas, extended its "flood watch" warning for some areas until 7pm local time.
The warning covers parts of Hill County and "along and east of I-35 corridor," the organisation said in a Facebook post.
"Additional rainfall amounts of two-four inches are possible with isolated pockets of 10 inches somewhere in the watch area," it said. "It is very difficult to pinpoint where exactly the isolated heavy amounts will occur in this pattern."
A shocking report has suggested the National Weather Service in San Antonion and San Angelo - that cover the Central Texas area hit by flash floods - was experiencing staffing shortages before this weekend.
The San Angelo office was missing a senior hydrologist, staff forecaster, and meteorologist in charge, Tom Fahy, the legislative director for the union that represents Weather Service workers told The New York Times.
Fahy added that the San Antonion office was missing science officers and a warning coordination meteorologist.
The report added that the warning coordination meteorologist at this station had left his post when he took up an early retirement package offered by the Trump government, as part of DOGE's destructive removal of thousands of government employees.
The death toll in the Texas flooding tragedy has continued to rise to at least 68 victims, according to The New York Times.
This harrowing number rose to nearly 70 today after searchers found more bodies in the hardest-hit Kerr County. These victims included several young girls at a summer camp along the Guadalupe River - whose banks had burst on Thursday night and into Friday morning.
Officials have said they will not stop searching until every person is found. More deaths are expected to be counted in this tragedy.
The US President, on Truth Social said the families of the people who died in these floods were "enduring an unimaginable tragedy".
He said: "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".
Trump added: "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!"
A shocking video caught the moment the deadly Central Texas floods sent an entire home, apparenty with a cat trapped inside, down the Guadalupe River.
The horror video, caught by Gavin Walston, showed the home crash into railings on the Center Point Bridge, at around 7.40am on Friday. Walston, in the video, said: "Oh, there's a cat in there."
The crash even led to a tree, next to the bridge, being partially uprooted.
The director of Camp Mystic, where 27 girls went missing after the devestating floods, died while trying to save girls from the horrific scenes.
Richard 'Dick' Eastland, 70, was killed during rescue efforts at the Christian summer camp in Hunt, Texas, on the Guadalupe River. His family had owned the camp since 1974.
His nephew, Gardner Eastland, confirmed Richard's tragic death in a Facebook post on Saturday. The director died in a helicopster while being rushed to a hospital in Houston, Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly told the Washington Post.
Paige Sumner, a guest columnist for the Kerrville Daily Times, paid a touching tribute to Richard and said: "It doesn't surprise me at all that his last act of kindness and sacrifice was working to save the lives of campers.
"Dick was the father figure to all of us while we were away from home at Camp Mystic for six weeks.
"He was the father of four amazing boys, but he had hundreds of girls each term who looked up to him like a dad. I would never have taken a fishing class if it wasn't taught by my new friend Dick."
The death toll has risen to 59, according to the county's Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick.
"We're now up to 59," he told Fox News. "We expect that to go higher sadly."
The US National Weather Service has warned that more rain is expected to pummel the already devastated region.
The NWS said: "Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations." The weather service in San Antonio, around 80 miles away from the hardest hit areas, said: "A flood Watch is in effect."
Officials revealed that months' worth of rain fell on Central Texas in just a few hours on Thursday night and into Friday morning.
Harrowing pictures have emerged of the Texas summer camp where girls were tragically swept to their deaths in devastating floods.
The Guadalupe River burst its banks early on Friday after heavy rain as destructive fast-moving waters rose 26ft (8m) in just 45 minutes, washing away homes and vehicles. The floods hit Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along the river in Hunt, which was "completely destroyed" according to 13-year-old Elinor Lester, one of hundreds of campers.
She said: "The camp was completely destroyed. A helicopter landed and started taking people away. It was really scary." Dalton Rice, City Manager of Kerville, said some 27 children were among the missing from the camp. Photos show that the side of the camp was completely ripped apart by the floods.
Beds and blankets of the campers can be seen covered in a thick sludge, with belongings including bags, toys and clothing strewn across the floor.
The roof of a building is also seen sagging and pieces of jagged wood beneath it. Nearby trees were also knocked down by the force of the water.
A man died after warning his family of dangerous flood waters at their campsite with his wife still reportedly missing.
The family of Jeff Ramsey, from Lewisville, have confirmed that he lost his life in the devastating storm that has hit Texas while his wife Tanya is still missing.
Other members of his family, who were staying at different locations of the campsite, have said he may be the reason why they survived after he called them to wake them up as the floodwater rose.
Many people have paid tribute to Mr Ramsey on social media. "I am eternally grateful for getting to see you for one last huge hug last week. Rest easy my brother, we will carry your name on with love and light," wrote Morris Brossette on Facebook.
Ryan Ashley Chapman said: "Received some devastating news that a dear friend Jeff Ramsey passed away from the floods on the Guadalupe River. He and his wife Tanya were camping at HTR TX Hill Country RV Park & Campground.
"Tanya is still missing so please send up prayers that she is found safe and please pray for Jeff's children Jake and Rachel as they go through this awful time. My heart is breaking for all impacted by this tragedy."
Incredible amounts of moisture in the air fueled a storm that moved slowly and dumped rain over central Texas, creating conditions for fatal flash floods in the early morning hours when it was easy to catch people by surprise, meteorologists said.
More than 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain fell in the Texas Hill Country over a span of several hours early Friday, causing water levels to quickly rise, according to the weather forecasting company AccuWeather.
The area is naturally prone to flash flooding, but this was an especially bad storm that hit during the vulnerable overnight hours, experts said. Dozens of deaths have been reported along with numerous rescues.
'In a warming climate we know that the atmosphere has more moisture to give, to hold on to and then to release. But also the thing that we know about climate change is that our rain events are not as uniform as what they used to be,' said Shel Winkley, a meteorologist with Climate Central.
'So, you'll get these big rain events happening in localized areas, tapping into the historic level of moisture in the atmosphere.'
Robert Henson, a meteorologist and writer with Yale Climate Connections, said this latest Texas rain storm was roughly a once-in-a-generation event. It fell in the Texas Hill Country where water quickly shoots down rugged hills into narrow river basins that swell quickly.
'As is often the case with the worst disasters, many things came together in a terrible way.' Mr Henson said.
A heartbroken dad has told how his two daughters aged 13 and 11, have both tragically died after being swept away in devastating floods and his parents are both missing.
And RJ Harber has said that his daughters Blair, 13, and Brooke Harber, 11, both have died in flooding in Kerr County but were not at Camp Mystic.
Paying tribute to the pair he told CNN that Blair 'was a gifted student and had a generous kind heart,' while Brooke 'was like a light in any room, people gravitated to her and she made them laugh and enjoy the moment.'
Mr Harber also told the TV network that his parents Charlene and Mike were missing and he believes they have died.
The two girls were pupils at St. Rita Catholic Community where Blair was preparing to enter eighth grade and Brooke was about to start in sixth grade, confirmed the school. The school held a prayer service on Saturday afternoon to grieve and honour their lives.
They were understood to have been staying with their grandparents by the Guadalupe River and their parents were unharmed having been in a separate cabin.
"Please keep the Harber family in your prayers during this time of profound grief. May our faith, our love, and our St. Rita community be a source of strength and comfort in the days ahead," said Fr. Joshua J. Whitfield, pastor, in correspondence with church members, reported CBS News.
Shakira has said she will donate a portion of the money from her concert on Saturday in San Antonio to victims of the storm in Texas.
She was performing in the state on her latest world tour. Shakira wrote on X: "Dear San Antonio, Our hearts and prayers are with those affected by the flood in Central Texas.
"We are donating a portion of tonight's show proceeds to Catholic Charities of San Antonio, who are providing disaster relief to the families impacted."
She previously said on arriving for the concert: "I've just landed in San Antonio, devastated to hear the news of the floods, the deaths, and the girls still missing. I can only think of their families and their immense pain. My prayers are with you on this sad day."
A Texas school manager has told how many pupils were in the area where the storm hit and the community is "heartbroken" .
Highland Park ISD Superintendent Dr. Mike Rockwood released a statement, saying many of its students were affected by the flooding.
"Our hearts are heavy following the devastating flood in the Texas Hill Country. Many of our students were in the area, and our community is heartbroken for the families deeply affected by this tragedy," he said.
"In the midst of this pain, we are incredibly moved by the outpouring of love and support from our churches, families, and broader community. Your compassion and care have been a source of strength in these difficult hours.
"Please continue to keep all those impacted in your thoughts and prayers. We will share any appropriate updates as they become available, and we remain committed to supporting our students, staff, and families through this challenging time."
Two "best friends" are among the girls to have lost their lives in the storm that hit Camp Mystic.
Lila Bonner, a nine-year-old from Dallas, who was a pupil at Bradfield Elementary lost her life, her family confirmed to Fox4.
And she was close friends with Eloise Peck, who went to the same school, and also died in the tragedy.
Eloise's mum Missy Peck said: "Eloise was literally friends with everyone. She loved spaghetti but not more than she loved dogs and animals.
"She passed away with her cabinmate and best friend Lila Bonner who also died. Eloise had a family who loved her fiercely for the eight years she was with us. Especially her Mommy."
State and county officials defended their actions amid claims the camps and residents in towns vulnerable to flooding didn't receive necessary alerts.
The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for the region on Thursday, and it sent out a series of flash-flood warnings in the early hours Friday.
The federal agency had predicted 3 to 6 inches (7.6 to 15.2 centimeters) of rain in the region northwest of San Antonio, but 10 inches (25.4 cm) fell.
The Guadalupe River rose to 26 feet (7.9 meters) within about 45 minutes in the early morning hours, submerging its flood gauge. It was not immediately clear what kind of evacuation plans Camp Mystic might have had.
The county itself does not have a warning system, Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said. He maintained that no one knew a flood of this magnitude was coming.
A Liverpool-loving head coach of a boys football team has died in the flooding along with his wife.
Reece Zunker, who was in charge of the boys team Tivy High School in Kerrville, Texas, lost his life in the storm, his niece told CNN. Mackenzey Zunker said her father identified her uncle's body on Saturday evening.
The Tivy boys soccer team posted a tribute to Zunker on their Facebook page, mourning 'the loss of our leader and inspiration.'
Reece's wife Paula also died in the flooding, according to the statement from the football team and a message shared by his cousin Haley Furlough.
The message from Ms Furlough added that their two children are unaccounted for.
A statement from the boys soccer team at Tivy High School read: "Heartbroken over the loss of Coach Reece Zunker and his wife Paula.
"Our Tivy Soccer & KISD community is heartbroken with the loss of our leader and inspiration. Coach Reece Zunker was not just a soccer coach he was a mentor, teacher and a role model for our Kerrville kids.
"He rebuilt the soccer program and left a legacy. His passion for his players, students, co-workers, community and his family will never be forgotten.
"You'll Never Walk Alone (Moto from his favorite soccer team Liverpool). We pray for all that knew him. We pray for the Zunker family."
At least 27 girls are unaccounted for following devastating flashfloods in Texas.
So far authorities have confirmed 43 people have died, including 15 children, in Kerr County after a storm unleashed nearly a foot (0.3 meters) of rain on Friday and sent floodwaters gushing out of the Guadalupe River through the hilly region known for its century-old summer camps. Another eight people died in nearby counties.
State officials said 27 girls from Camp Mystic, a riverside Christian camp for girls in Hunt, still were unaccounted for more than 36 hours after the flood.
The camp was established in 1926. It grew so popular over the following decades that families are now encouraged to put prospective campers on the waitlist years in advance.
But images now show the devastation at the campsite.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott says that Camp Mystic is "horrendously ravaged" in ways he has not seen before in a natural disaster.
The flooding in Kerr County has killed at least 43 people, including 15 children, and at least eight people died in nearby counties.
Authorities still have not said how many people were missing beyond the children from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along a river in Kerr County where most of the dead were recovered. There are still 27 girls missing from the site.
Mr Abbott visited the site on Saturday and has now written on X: "Today I visited Camp Mystic. It, and the river running beside it, were horrendously ravaged in ways unlike I've seen in any natural disaster.
"The height the rushing water reached to the top of cabins was shocking. We won't stop until we find every girl who was in those cabins."
The family of dad who died while rescuing his loved ones from flooding in Texas shared his final, heartbreaking words. In a final act of heroism, Julian Ryan punched through a window to help his fiancé, their children and his mother escape to the roof.
Read the full story here.
Search crews were facing harsh conditions while 'looking in every possible location,' Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said.
Officials said more than 850 people had been rescued in the last 36 hours and there were heroic efforts at the camps to save children.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem arrived and pledged that the Trump administration would use all available resources. Coast Guard helicopters and planes were assisting to ensure operations can continue even in darkness.
Piers and Ruffin Boyett were at Camp La Junta in Hunt, Texas, when they spoke to ABC affiliate KSAT about their cabin being flooded during the heavy rains. Piers described how they had to scramble up into the rafters of the cabin to avoid the swiftly rising waters.
Declared this Sunday, July 6th, as a Day of Prayer in Texas in response to the floods in the Hill Country.I invite Texans to join me in prayer for the communities affected by this disaster. pic.twitter.com/vHWt1CQPzW
Blair, 13, and Brooke Harber, 11, have sadly died after going missing during the flash floods in Kerr County, their father told CNN.
RJ Harber said his parents, Charlene and Mike Harber, are still missing, and fears that they are also dead.
Blair was a "gifted student and had a generous kind heart", while her sister Brooke "was like a light in any room, people gravitated to her and she made them laugh and enjoy the moment", their father said.
San Angelo shared the following statement: "During the emergency response to the devastating flooding that occurred on July 4th, the San Angelo Police Department was notified of a missing individual who was last seen driving in an area impacted by the rising floodwaters.
"Responding officers and rescue personnel quickly began a coordinated search effort. During the course of our investigation, the individual's vehicle was located, still submerged beneath the floodwaters. Upon confirming that the vehicle was unoccupied, our team immediately expanded the search into the surrounding area.
"Search operations continued into the evening hours of July 4th but were eventually suspended due to safety concerns and conditions. Efforts resumed early the following morning.
"It is with great sadness that we report that at approximately 9:15 a.m. on July 5th, the body of Tanya Burwick, age 62, was discovered several blocks away from where her vehicle had been found.
"Our hearts are heavy as we extend our deepest condolences to Ms. Burwick's family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. The San Angelo Police Department stands with the entire community in mourning this tragic loss.
"We ask that the public continue to keep the Burwick family in their thoughts and prayers as they navigate this heartbreaking tragedy."
Campers and staff from one of the camps on the Guadalupe River, Camp Waldemar, have been reunited with their loved ones.
More than two dozen girls remain missing from Camp Mystic, but authorities have not said how many people were missing beyond the 27 children.
Chloe Crane, a teacher and former Camp Mystic counselor, said her heart broke when a fellow teacher shared an email from the camp about the missing girls.
'To be quite honest, I cried because Mystic is such a special place, and I just couldn't imagine the terror that I would feel as a counselor to experience that for myself and for 15 little girls that I'm taking care of,' she said. 'And it's also just sadness, like the camp has been there forever and cabins literally got washed away.'
According to Associated Press, Crane said the camp is a haven for young girls looking to gain confidence and independence. She recalled happy memories teaching her campers about journalism, making crafts and competing in a camp-wide canoe race at the end of each summer. Now for many campers and counselors, their happy place has turned into a horror story, she said.