Twin sisters, 8, killed in Texas flash floods 'brought joy' to grieving family
Dozens of children are among the dead after floods swept across Kerr County in central Texas, causing the Guadalupe River's water levels to rise more than eight metres in under an hour.
The flooded river on Thursday devastated Camp Mystic, a Christian girl's camp, where eight-year-old twins Hanna and Rebecca Lawrence were killed.
The twins are among 27 adults and children who died in the flooding at the camp.
Their parents, John and Lacy Lawrence, paid tribute to their daughters, saying: 'Hanna and Rebecca brought so much joy to us, to their big sister Harper, and to so many others.
'We will find ways to keep that joy, and to continue to spread it for them. But we are devastated that the bond we shared with them, and that they shared with each other, is now frozen in time.'
Their grandfather David Lawrence said 'it has been an unimaginable time for all of us', adding that the twins gave their family joy and 'they and that joy can never be forgotten'.
Hanna and Rebecca attended University Park Elementary School, which said on its website that 'numerous' pupils were forced to evacuate from the flooding and 'multiple' students had died.
'We are deeply saddened to report the loss of multiple students, and our thoughts and prayers are with all of the families deeply affected by this unimaginable tragedy,' a statement on the school's website said.
US president Donald Trump signed a major disaster declaration on Sunday, unlocking emergency disaster aid to help first responders amid search and rescue efforts as clean-up begins. More Trending
But he has drawn criticism after spending the weekend golfing in New Jersey rather than travelling to Kerr County.
Outraged Americans have shared video clips of Trump playing golf and eating an ice cream on social media, suggesting his actions show 'how much he cares'.
The president's official diary confirmed that he was due to spend Sunday atthe Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster.
Trump said he will 'probably' visit Texas later this week, but hasn't yet set a date.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
MORE: Netanyahu surprises Trump with letter nominating him for Nobel Peace Prize
MORE: Terrifying moment war zone-like mass shooting leaves three dead in Philadelphia
MORE: Tributes to 'brave' Camp Mystic counselor, 18, who died saving children in Texas flood
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
3 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Tragic newlywed wife struck by lightning and killed as her husband prepared to take a photo of her on paradise honeymoon
Witnesses said the newlywed bride collapsed after the thunderbolt flashed across the sky TAKEN TOO SOON TAKEN TOO SOON Tragic newlywed wife struck by lightning and killed as her husband prepared to take a photo of her on paradise honeymoon Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A NEWLYWED wife was tragically killed by lightning on honeymoon as her husband prepared to take a photo. Stephany Lucero Elvir, 23, was on the beach with her partner when the fatal bolt struck. 3 A newlywed bride was struck by lightning and killed Credit: Jam Press 3 The couple had just been married in late June Credit: Jam Press 3 Their friends and family were left devastated following the horror Credit: Jam Press Her husband Cristhian Samir Álvarez Molina was also injured when the lightning hit them. Witnesses said the newlywed bride collapsed after the thunderbolt flashed across the sky on July 5. They were rushed to get medical attention, but Stephany was sadly pronounced dead. Cristhian sustained injuries in the tragic incident but is understood to have survived. read more in world news DON'S FURY Trump slams Putin's 'bulls***' and 'meaningless' promises in savage attack The pair had just got married a few days earlier on June 28. Their friends and family were left devastated following the horror, which took place in Omoa, Honduras. Stephany worked as a pharmacist and was from Tegucigalpa, NeedToKnow has reported. She had degrees from National Autonomous University of Honduras and the Central American Technological University. Tributes have described her as "intelligent", "kind" and a "helpful girl with a big heart". A spokesperson for the Honduran Air Force said: "We pray to the Divine Creator of the Universe for her eternal rest, and that the Almighty grants Christian comfort and strength to her family and friends." Cristhian's condition at present is not yet known. It comes as authorities have issued warnings over volatile weather conditions across the country. Members of the public are advised to take additional precautions in beaches and open spaces. It comes after a 29-year-old newlywed on his honeymoon was killed by a freak weather strike while standing in ankle-deep water. The incident occurred on Florida's east coast while the man was visiting New Smyrna Beach with his wife. Jake Rosencranz had been on a delayed honeymoon when lightning hit him around 12:30 pm on Friday, officials confirmed.
NBC News
5 hours ago
- NBC News
Texas floods live updates: Death toll surpasses 100, including Camp Mystic counselors and campers
Rescuers and volunteers were scouring for survivors yesterday as others prayed after catastrophic flooding in Texas left more than 100 people dead, including more than two dozen children, officials said. At Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp in Hunt, where officials are grieving the loss of 27 children and counselors, belongings of the young campers were strewn about the flooded floors of a dormitory, while other items, including a pink backpack and a Camp Mystic T-shirt, were found along the bloated Guadalupe River, photos show. The camp is on the banks of the river, which swelled during heavy rain early Friday and surged by more than 20 feet in an hour, authorities said. The storm downed power lines and trees and swept away vehicles. The water rushed into Kerr County, where Sheriff Larry Leitha said at least 48 adults and 27 children were found dead.
Rhyl Journal
6 hours ago
- Rhyl Journal
Hope of finding Texas flood survivors dims as search efforts go on
The search efforts benefited from improving weather on Tuesday. The storms that battered the Hill Country area for the past four days began to lighten up, although isolated pockets of heavy rain were still possible. Texas governor Greg Abbott planned to make another visit on Tuesday to Camp Mystic, the century-old all-girls Christian summer camp where at least 27 campers and staff died during the flash floods. Officials said on Monday that 10 campers and one counsellor have still not been found. A wall of water slammed into camps and homes along the edge of the Guadalupe River before daybreak on Friday, pulling people out of their cabins, tents and trailers and dragging them for miles past floating tree trunks and cars. Some survivors were found clinging to trees. Questions are mounting about what, if any, actions local officials took to warn campers and residents who were spending the July Fourth holiday weekend in the scenic area long known to locals as 'flash flood alley'. At public briefings, officials in hard-hit Kerr County have deflected questions about what preparations and warnings were made as forecasters warned of life-threatening conditions. 'We definitely want to dive in and look at all those things,' Kerrville city manager Dalton Rice said on Monday. 'We're looking forward to doing that once we can get the search and rescue complete.' Some camps were aware of the dangers and monitoring the weather. At least one moved several hundred campers to higher ground before the floods, but many were caught by surprise. Searchers have found the bodies of 84 people, including 28 children, in Kerr County, which is home to Camp Mystic and several other summer camps near the river, officials said. Nineteen deaths were reported in Travis, Burnet, Kendall, Tom Green and Williamson counties, local officials said. Among those confirmed dead were eight-year-old sisters from Dallas who were at Camp Mystic and a former soccer coach and his wife who were staying at a riverfront home. Their daughters were still missing. Elizabeth Lester, a mother of children who were at Camp Mystic and nearby Camp La Junta during the flood, said her young son had to swim out of a cabin window to escape. Her daughter fled up the hillside as floodwaters whipped against her legs. Both survived. Search-and-rescue teams used heavy equipment to untangle trees and move large rocks as part of the massive search for missing people. Hundreds of volunteers have shown up to help with one of the largest rescue operations in Texas history. Piles of twisted trees sprinkled with mattresses, refrigerators and coolers littered the riverbanks.
