Texas flood before-and-after pictures show devastating toll of catastrophe which left 121 dead and 173 missing
Now, new before-and-after satellite images of several sites throughout Kerry County show the devastation caused by the floods as crews embark on a seventh day of search and rescue efforts. Crews are searching mounds of debris along an eight-mile stretch of the Guadalupe River, often finding cars and RVs buried in the wreckage.
Search and rescue efforts are expected to continue for several weeks, said Fredericksburg Fire Chief Lynn Bizzell.
Twenty-seven of those killed were children and staff attending Camp Mystic, an all-girls summer camp situated on the banks of the Guadalupe River. Five girls and one staffer are still missing as of Friday morning.
Several of the cabins were built on 'extremely hazardous' floodways where the river's water moves at its highest velocity and depth, according to an analysis by The New York Times. Two days before the deadly floods, the camp reportedly passed its annual state safety inspection and had a written disaster plan in place.
While crews wade through debris and navigate difficult terrain, many are assisting the efforts in innovative ways.
Kourtney Rand, a volunteer in Ingram, Texas, told CNN the local volunteer fire department is using horses to navigate waterlogged areas. NASA has deployed two aircraft to help map the damage from the floods, while the Texas National Guard is helping the search via land and air.
One man from Colorado has even traveled to Texas to help with the efforts, telling local outlet Fox 26 he was inspired to assist in any way he could after seeing photos of the devastation.
Questions are swirling over whether state and local officials could have done more to warn residents about the impending floods early Friday.
A local firefighter was revealed to have petitioned for an emergency alert to be sent out when the floods were imminent but one wasn't issued until at least an hour later, a new report reveals.
Texas Senator Ted Cruz has criticized the state's preparation, arguing 'something went wrong' at Camp Mystic. New York Senator Chuck Schumer has also called for an investigation into whether staffing cuts at the National Weather Service impacted the response time on July4.
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Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Heartbreaking final words of young girl trapped in mudflow for 60 hours
'Mummy, I love you very much'. These were the devastating last words of 13-year-old Omayra Sanchez, who died a slow and agonising death while the world watched from their television screens. For nearly three days, the school girl remained trapped in the wreckage of her family home after Colombia's Nevado del Ruiz volcano erupted on November 13, 1985 - unleashing a wall of mud that wiped the entire town of Armero off the map. The teen spent 60 hours trapped from the waist down under the cement-like lahar, while emergency services worked tirelessly to free her. But her tragic plight quickly captivated the world, after Red Cross rescue workers were forced to give up their efforts to help her when it became apparent that they would not be able to give her life saving care. Rescuers, photographers and journalists spent Omayra's final moments with her, taking it in turns to comfort her and keep her company, bringing her fizzy drinks and sweets. The tragedy was heavily documented, with harrowing videos and images of Omayra reaching households across the world. Her last words are believed to have been caught on camera, after Colombian broadcaster RCN aired a video of Omayra showing her with bloodshot eyes as she remained submerged in the muddy water. Addressing her mother, a nurse who had travelled to the capital Bogota for work before the disaster unfolded, Omayra said: 'Pray so that I can walk, and for these people to help me. 'Mummy, I love you very much, daddy I love you, my brother, I love you'. After 60 hours, Omayra's hands went white and her eyes turned black, and not long after, she died. On her third and final day, rescue workers say Omayra began to hallucinate, telling bystanders she was worried about being being late for her maths exam. She also told those keeping her company to go home so that they could rest. After her death, it was found that her aunt's arms were tangled around Omayra's legs. But it was one particular image of Omayra, holding onto life as rescuers tried to free her body from the mud, that became emblematic of the tragedy and continued to capture the world's attention in the days after the disaster. French photo-journalist Frank Fournier captured her final moments in a heartbreaking photograph, which went on to win the World Press Photo of the year in 1986. Fournier received backlash from public, with several questioning why he didn't help Omayra as she took her last breaths. But in an interview with the BBC, the French photographer spoke about how it was impossible to save her and defended his decision to take pictures of her before her death. 'There was an outcry - debates on television on the nature of the photojournalist, how much he or she is a vulture. But I felt the story was important for me to report and I was happier that there was some reaction; it would have been worse if people had not cared about it. 'I am very clear about what I do and how I do it, and I try to do my job with as much honesty and integrity as possible. I believe the photo helped raise money from around the world in aid and helped highlight the irresponsibility and lack of courage of the country's leaders.' 'There was an obvious lack of leadership. There were no evacuation plans, yet scientists had foreseen the catastrophic extent of the volcano's eruption. He also recalled her final moments, explaining how 'dawn was breaking and the poor girl was in pain and very confused. 'When I took the pictures I felt totally powerless in front of this little girl, who was facing death with courage and dignity. She could sense that her life was going.' Fournier added: 'People still find the picture disturbing. This highlights the lasting power of this little girl. I was lucky that I could act as a bridge to link people with her. It's the magic of the thing,' Speaking about Omayra, Fournier recalled that the girl was 'an incredible personality'. 'She spoke to the people trying to save her with utmost respect, telling them to go home and rest and then come back'. Omayra lived with her father, younger brother and aunt at the time of the tragedy, all of whom died instantly after being swallowed up by the deadly lahar. Her mother Maria Aleida Sanchez had travelled to Bogota to work as a nurse, who helplessly watched on from the capital as her daughter's state declined. Thirty years after her daughter's death, Maria spoke fondly of her daughter in a 2015 interview. 'Omayra loved studying. She was very special to me, and she adored her brother. She had her dolls, but she hung them on the wall. She didn't like playing with dolls and was dedicated to her studies'. The volcano, that overlooks the town of Armero in eastern Colombia, had been dormant for 69 years, and so residents and authorities didn't fret much about the possibility of an eruption, nicknaming it the 'sleeping lion'. Scientists had warned of a deadly eruption for months, but no response plan was put in place. When the Nevado del Ruiz erupted, it melted part of its snowcap, creating a 150-ft-high wall of mud that swept down the Lagunilla River. About 23,000 of Armero's estimated 28,000 residents died or went missing as the mudslide pulled trees from their roots and enveloped entire homes. Another 2,000 people were killed or disappeared on the opposite side of the volcano. It took relief workers 12 hours to reach Armero after the devastating eruption, which meant victims who had sustained serious injuries were already dead. The town, once known as 'the white city' was littered with fallen trees, human bodies and piles of debris. Armero has since remained a ghost town after its surviving inhabitants relocated to the nearing towns of Guayabal and Lerida. What is left of Armero are destroyed buildings, vehicles and cemeteries to commemorate the thousands of lives that were lost.
The Guardian
a day ago
- The Guardian
Colossal cleanup effort allows summer camp to reopen after Texas floods
Just days after the devastating Texas floods killed 27 campers and counselors from Camp Mystic, another summer camp has reopened its doors 30 miles downstream. A colossal cleanup effort from the surrounding community enabled Camp Camp, a residential program serving youth with disabilities, to welcome visitors again this summer. 'Our campers will be able to enjoy our riverfront activities much sooner now,' said Ken Kaiser, the director of facility operations for the camp. 'In the midst of heartache, we got to see the best of humanity through these volunteers who came from all over Texas and beyond.' Camp Camp is located in Centre Point, Texas, and offers a series of five-night sleep-away sessions in the summer for children and adults aged five to 55 years old with mild to severe disabilities. The camp welcomes more than 800 campers each summer, and every visitor is given a 1:1 counsellor ratio to accommodate their needs. It has been in operation for 46 years and hosts the same activities as regular camps, including horseback riding, swimming, sports, archery and more. The herculean rehabilitation of the area where Camp Camp is located, a 55-acre property nestled in the Texas hills along the banks of the Guadalupe River, all began with a Facebook post on 8 July from an Austin real estate agent, Cord Shiflet. Debris had covered the landscape, destroying the waterfront and crucial amenities for the camp, including picnic benches for the children to eat at, had been ruined. Shiflet made a plea for 'money, manpower, and machines'. By the following day, 250 volunteers arrived. The numbers doubled by Friday, with people braving the mud and conditions to haul food supplies, excavators and chainsaws to the area. Some workers who came down to help reported meeting as many as 1,500 people while they were there. 'The energy at Camp Camp was focused, focused on the mission of making it beautiful again,' said Colette Kerns, who drove down with her husband, Jason, to volunteer at the cleanup. 'Everyone had a job to do and worked seamlessly together to get it done.' Colette's husband spent five hours a day using a chainsaw to clear fallen trees and debris, while she organized the kitchen area and helped load logs into trucks to be hauled away. The couple, who are parents of two children with special needs, said they understood how vital this camp is to the families who rely on it. 'It's more than just a place,' said Colette. 'It is a space where children are embraced, understood and celebrated.' Another hero of the rehabilitation project was Rusty Bourland, who, in numerous Facebook posts about the cleanup, has been praised for his hard work, resilience and determination. Bourland was at a wedding in Dripping Springs, Texas, when he began receiving calls from people seeking assistance in the aftermath of the floods. Having helped with relief work during Hurricane Harvey and Tropical Storm Bill, he had experience in rebuilding. Still, he had no idea when he packed one change of clothes that he would actually be down there for six and a half days. He told his wife he was loading a machine and driving south. 'Driving down it felt unknown,' Bourland said. 'We were all being told to not just self-deploy, but nothing compares to this in terms of human devastation.' Bourland, who owns a landscape construction business, said there were days when about 70 machines were on the property. He recalled that the energy was somber as volunteers witnessed many bodies being recovered from the surrounding area. He plans on seeking professional help now that he's home. 'I told everyone, 'Look, we're basically faced with the most difficult situation imaginable,' but as Texans, we try our best to thrive on adversity,' he recounted. 'I compartmentalized and tried to keep people positive.' The death toll from the flash floods, which started on the Fourth of July holiday, has now climbed to 135 people. With more than 150 people still missing, authorities are warning that the number of casualties could continue to rise. The floods are being described as one of the worst natural disasters in Texas history. The Guadalupe River rose 26ft in 45 minutes, and according to a preliminary estimate by the private forecaster AccuWeather, the economic toll of this could range from $18bn to $22bn. The Republican governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, has since stated that he would allow debate in the Texas legislature on the state's flood warning system, but has given no guarantees on how the outcome will unfold. For Gigi Hudnall, whose son Kenny was able to attend Camp Camp again this year, the camaraderie in the reopening has been remarkable. This is the 11th year Kenny will have visited, and Hudnall believes the work they did to make this happen was nothing short of miraculous. 'It gives these kids something they don't usually have – freedom,' she said. 'When we heard about the floods, our hearts broke, for the lives lost and for the camps. It makes me proud to be among people who care and will give to help kids like my son.'
The Guardian
a day ago
- The Guardian
Colossal cleanup effort allows summer camp to reopen after Texas floods
Just days after the devastating Texas floods killed 27 campers and counselors from Camp Mystic, another summer camp has reopened its doors 30 miles downstream. A colossal cleanup effort from the surrounding community enabled Camp Camp, a residential program serving youth with disabilities, to welcome visitors again this summer. 'Our campers will be able to enjoy our riverfront activities much sooner now,' said Ken Kaiser, the director of facility operations for the camp. 'In the midst of heartache, we got to see the best of humanity through these volunteers who came from all over Texas and beyond.' Camp Camp is located in Centre Point, Texas, and offers a series of five-night sleep-away sessions in the summer for children and adults aged five to 55 years old with mild to severe disabilities. The camp welcomes more than 800 campers each summer, and every visitor is given a 1:1 counsellor ratio to accommodate their needs. It has been in operation for 46 years and hosts the same activities as regular camps, including horseback riding, swimming, sports, archery and more. The herculean rehabilitation of the area where Camp Camp is located, a 55-acre property nestled in the Texas hills along the banks of the Guadalupe River, all began with a Facebook post on 8 July from an Austin real estate agent, Cord Shiflet. Debris had covered the landscape, destroying the waterfront and crucial amenities for the camp, including picnic benches for the children to eat at, had been ruined. Shiflet made a plea for 'money, manpower, and machines'. By the following day, 250 volunteers arrived. The numbers doubled by Friday, with people braving the mud and conditions to haul food supplies, excavators and chainsaws to the area. Some workers who came down to help reported meeting as many as 1,500 people while they were there. 'The energy at Camp Camp was focused, focused on the mission of making it beautiful again,' said Colette Kerns, who drove down with her husband, Jason, to volunteer at the cleanup. 'Everyone had a job to do and worked seamlessly together to get it done.' Colette's husband spent five hours a day using a chainsaw to clear fallen trees and debris, while she organized the kitchen area and helped load logs into trucks to be hauled away. The couple, who are parents of two children with special needs, said they understood how vital this camp is to the families who rely on it. 'It's more than just a place,' said Colette. 'It is a space where children are embraced, understood and celebrated.' Another hero of the rehabilitation project was Rusty Bourland, who, in numerous Facebook posts about the cleanup, has been praised for his hard work, resilience and determination. Bourland was at a wedding in Dripping Springs, Texas, when he began receiving calls from people seeking assistance in the aftermath of the floods. Having helped with relief work during Hurricane Harvey and Tropical Storm Bill, he had experience in rebuilding. Still, he had no idea when he packed one change of clothes that he would actually be down there for six and a half days. He told his wife he was loading a machine and driving south. 'Driving down it felt unknown,' Bourland said. 'We were all being told to not just self-deploy, but nothing compares to this in terms of human devastation.' Bourland, who owns a landscape construction business, said there were days when about 70 machines were on the property. He recalled that the energy was somber as volunteers witnessed many bodies being recovered from the surrounding area. He plans on seeking professional help now that he's home. 'I told everyone, 'Look, we're basically faced with the most difficult situation imaginable,' but as Texans, we try our best to thrive on adversity,' he recounted. 'I compartmentalized and tried to keep people positive.' The death toll from the flash floods, which started on the Fourth of July holiday, has now climbed to 135 people. With more than 150 people still missing, authorities are warning that the number of casualties could continue to rise. The floods are being described as one of the worst natural disasters in Texas history. The Guadalupe River rose 26ft in 45 minutes, and according to a preliminary estimate by the private forecaster AccuWeather, the economic toll of this could range from $18bn to $22bn. The Republican governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, has since stated that he would allow debate in the Texas legislature on the state's flood warning system, but has given no guarantees on how the outcome will unfold. For Gigi Hudnall, whose son Kenny was able to attend Camp Camp again this year, the camaraderie in the reopening has been remarkable. This is the 11th year Kenny will have visited, and Hudnall believes the work they did to make this happen was nothing short of miraculous. 'It gives these kids something they don't usually have – freedom,' she said. 'When we heard about the floods, our hearts broke, for the lives lost and for the camps. It makes me proud to be among people who care and will give to help kids like my son.'
