Texas floods sees 25 girls reported missing from summer camp as death toll rises
Torrential storms in Texas have triggered catastrophic flooding that has claimed the lives of at least 24 people with up to 25 girls still missing.
Emergency crews continue rescue effort to find the remain missing with most of them from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp situated along the Guadalupe River.
The flooding came swiftly and with little warning, reports the Mirror. Within just 45 minutes, the Guadalupe River surged more than 26 feet, sweeping away homes, vehicles, and entire sections of riverside communities. Hundreds of rescues have taken place across Kerr County, including at least 167 airlifts by helicopter.
Authorities remain in an active search and rescue operation. 'They will continue in the darkness of night. They will be taking place when the sun rises in the morning. They will be nonstop,' Texas Governor Greg Abbott said during a press briefing.
Camp Mystic, which was housing around 700 girls, was one of the hardest-hit sites. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick read a statement from the camp, describing the flooding as reaching a "catastrophic level." Emergency teams have been using helicopters equipped with infrared technology to search for those still missing overnight.
Five girls—Renee Smajstrla, Eloise Peck, Lila Bonner, Janie Hunt, and Lainey Landry—are among those unaccounted for after the camp was overwhelmed by the floods on Friday.
Thirteen-year-old camper Elinor Lester recalled the harrowing scene: 'The camp was completely destroyed. A helicopter landed and started taking people away. It was really scary.' She said her cabin woke to the sound of the storm around 1:30am and rescuers helped them cross a flooded bridge using a rope, with water rushing around their legs.
On social media, desperate families are pleading for news of their loved ones still missing in the flood zone.
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President Donald Trump addressed the disaster Friday night, expressing shock and promising federal assistance. 'It's terrible, the floods, it's shocking,' he said. When asked about federal aid, he responded, 'We'll take care of them. It's a terrible thing.'
As rescue efforts continue into the night, the full scale of this disaster is still unfolding. Officials have not confirmed the total number of missing individuals.
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Nine children dead at Texas summer camp after flash flood kills 27
The destructive fast-moving waters along the Guadalupe River rose 26 feet (eight metres) in just 45 minutes before dawn Friday, washing away homes and vehicles. Rescuers were searching for children from a girls' camp and many others who were still missing after a wall of water rushed down a river in the Texas Hill Country during a powerful storm that killed at least 27 people, officials said. Among the dead were nine children. The destructive fast-moving waters along the Guadalupe River rose 26 feet (eight metres) in just 45 minutes before dawn Friday, washing away homes and vehicles. The danger was not over as more heavy rains were expected Saturday and flash flood warnings and watches remained in effect for parts of central Texas. unaccounted for. 'People need to know today will be a hard day,' said Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring, Jr. Searchers used helicopters, boats and drones to look for victims and to rescue stranded people. The total number of missing was not known but one sheriff said about 24 of them were girls who had been attending Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along the river. Frantic parents and families posted photos of missing loved ones and pleas for information. 'The camp was completely destroyed,' said Elinor Lester, 13, one of hundreds of campers at Camp Mystic. 'A helicopter landed and started taking people away. 'It was really scary.' A raging storm woke up her cabin just after midnight Friday, and when rescuers arrived, they tied a rope for the girls to hold as they walked across a bridge with floodwaters whipping around their legs, she said. Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said 27 were confirmed dead, including nine children. Authorities said about 850 people had been rescued. The flooding in the middle of the night on the Fourth of July holiday caught many residents, campers and officials by surprise. The Texas Hill Country, which sits northwest of San Antonio, is a popular destination for camping and swimming, especially around the summertime holiday. AccuWeather said the private forecasting company 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 said in a statement that called the Texas Hill County one of the most flash-flood-prone areas of the US because of its terrain and many water crossings. Officials defended their actions on Friday while saying they had not expected such an intense downpour that was the equivalent of months' worth of rain for the area. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. 'It did not predict the amount of rain that we saw,' he said. A river near Camp Mystic recorded a 22 foot rise in about two hours, said Bob Fogarty, meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Austin/San Antonio office. The gauge failed after recording a level of 29 and a half feet. 'The water's moving so fast, you're not going to recognise how bad it is until it's on top of you,' Mr Fogarty said. US Coast Guard helicopters were flying in to assist.
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an hour ago
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Among the dead were nine children. The destructive fast-moving waters along the Guadalupe River rose 26 feet (eight metres) in just 45 minutes before dawn Friday, washing away homes and vehicles. The danger was not over as more heavy rains were expected Saturday and flash flood warnings and watches remained in effect for parts of central Texas. Some 27 people were missing from Camp Mystic, Dalton Rice, city manager, said at a press conference on Saturday. An unknown number of people at other locations were still unaccounted for. 'People need to know today will be a hard day,' said Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring, Jr. Searchers used helicopters, boats and drones to look for victims and to rescue stranded people. The total number of missing was not known but one sheriff said about 24 of them were girls who had been attending Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along the river. Frantic parents and families posted photos of missing loved ones and pleas for information. 'The camp was completely destroyed,' said Elinor Lester, 13, one of hundreds of campers at Camp Mystic. 'A helicopter landed and started taking people away. 'It was really scary.' A raging storm woke up her cabin just after midnight Friday, and when rescuers arrived, they tied a rope for the girls to hold as they walked across a bridge with floodwaters whipping around their legs, she said. Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said 27 were confirmed dead, including nine children. Authorities said about 850 people had been rescued. The flooding in the middle of the night on the Fourth of July holiday caught many residents, campers and officials by surprise. The Texas Hill Country, which sits northwest of San Antonio, is a popular destination for camping and swimming, especially around the summertime holiday. AccuWeather said the private forecasting company 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 said in a statement that called the Texas Hill County one of the most flash-flood-prone areas of the US because of its terrain and many water crossings. Officials defended their actions on 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. A river near Camp Mystic recorded a 22 foot rise in about two hours, said Bob Fogarty, meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Austin/San Antonio office. The gauge failed after recording a level of 29 and a half feet. 'The water's moving so fast, you're not going to recognise how bad it is until it's on top of you,' Mr Fogarty said. More than 1,000 rescuers were on the ground. Rescue teams, helicopters and drones were being used, with some people being plucked from trees. US Coast Guard helicopters were flying in to assist.
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an hour ago
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Among the dead were nine children. The destructive fast-moving waters along the Guadalupe River rose 26 feet (eight metres) in just 45 minutes before dawn Friday, washing away homes and vehicles. The danger was not over as more heavy rains were expected Saturday and flash flood warnings and watches remained in effect for parts of central Texas. Some 27 people were missing from Camp Mystic, Dalton Rice, city manager, said at a press conference on Saturday. An unknown number of people at other locations were still unaccounted for. 'People need to know today will be a hard day,' said Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring, Jr. Searchers used helicopters, boats and drones to look for victims and to rescue stranded people. The total number of missing was not known but one sheriff said about 24 of them were girls who had been attending Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along the river. Frantic parents and families posted photos of missing loved ones and pleas for information. 'The camp was completely destroyed,' said Elinor Lester, 13, one of hundreds of campers at Camp Mystic. 'A helicopter landed and started taking people away. 'It was really scary.' A raging storm woke up her cabin just after midnight Friday, and when rescuers arrived, they tied a rope for the girls to hold as they walked across a bridge with floodwaters whipping around their legs, she said. Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said 27 were confirmed dead, including nine children. Authorities said about 850 people had been rescued. The flooding in the middle of the night on the Fourth of July holiday caught many residents, campers and officials by surprise. The Texas Hill Country, which sits northwest of San Antonio, is a popular destination for camping and swimming, especially around the summertime holiday. AccuWeather said the private forecasting company 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 said in a statement that called the Texas Hill County one of the most flash-flood-prone areas of the US because of its terrain and many water crossings. Officials defended their actions on 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. A river near Camp Mystic recorded a 22 foot rise in about two hours, said Bob Fogarty, meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Austin/San Antonio office. The gauge failed after recording a level of 29 and a half feet. 'The water's moving so fast, you're not going to recognise how bad it is until it's on top of you,' Mr Fogarty said. More than 1,000 rescuers were on the ground. Rescue teams, helicopters and drones were being used, with some people being plucked from trees. US Coast Guard helicopters were flying in to assist.
