Texas flood witness recalls furniture, trees and RVs swept down river
Along with the rain, she heard something else - loud, startling cracking noises.
'It's indescribable, the sounds, of how loud they were, which turned out to be … the massive cypress trees that came down along the river,' she told a Reuters reporter in an interview the next day.
Flash floods in central Texas have killed at least 43 people, including 15 children, authorities said on Saturday as rescuers continued a frantic search for dozens more campers, vacationers and residents who were still missing.
Hardest hit was Camp Mystic, a nearly century-old girls camp, where dozens of young girls were swept away in the flood waters, leaving many dead and many more still missing.
Fucci, who was staying in Comfort on the banks of the overflowing Guadalupe River, filmed on her phone a torrent of muddy water flooding the road to her grandmother's house and two recreational vehicles in a parking lot, with their wheels submerged in water.
Reuters verified the location of the video by matching buildings and vehicles to satellite imagery and confirmed the date by checking the metadata.
'I'm still in shock today,' Fucci told Reuters.
She said she had little hope anyone would be found alive.
'There's so many missing children and missing people. You just want them to be found for the sake of the families. But, you know, it's not going to be a good ending… There's no way people could have survived the swiftness of the water.'
Fucci said she had received National Weather alerts on her phone hours after the flood had already hit. The residents of the town had to rely on one another, as they ran to their neighbors to see who needed help before rescue teams arrived.
'Something I've never seen before. You knew it was tragedy,' Fucci said, recalling how quickly the river flooded the town.
'It wasn't slowing, it wasn't slowing. And debris and furniture and RVs were coming down the river.'
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Express Tribune
3 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Death toll from Texas flooding mounts to 78
First responders attend to a vehicle pulled from the water in the aftermath of deadly flooding in Kerrville, Texas, US The death toll from catastrophic floods in Texas reached at least 78 on Sunday, including 28 children, as the search for girls missing from a summer camp continued, and fears of more flooding prompted evacuations of volunteer responders. Larry Leitha, sheriff of Kerr County in the Texas Hill Country, said 68 people had died in flooding in his county, the epicenter of the flooding, among them 28 children. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, speaking at a press conference on Sunday afternoon, said another 10 had died elsewhere in Texas and confirmed 41 were missing. President Donald Trump sent his condolences to the victims and said he would probably visit the area on Friday. His administration had been in touch with Abbott, he added. "It's a horrible thing that took place, absolutely horrible. So we say, God bless all of the people that have gone through so much, and God bless, God bless the state of Texas," he told reporters as he left New Jersey. Among the most devastating impacts of the flooding occurred at Camp Mystic summer camp, a nearly century-old Christian girls camp where 10 Camp Mystic campers and one counselor were still missing, according to Leitha. "It was nothing short of horrific to see what those young children went through," said Abbott, who noted he toured the area on Saturday and pledged to continue efforts to locate the missing. The flooding occurred after the nearby Guadalupe River broke its banks after torrential rain fell in the central Texas area on Friday, the US Independence Day holiday. Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd said the destruction killed three people in Burnet County, one in Tom Green County, five in Travis County, and one in Williamson County. "You will see the death toll rise today and tomorrow," said Freeman Martin, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, also speaking on Sunday. Officials said on Saturday that more than 850 people had been rescued, including some clinging to trees, after a sudden storm dumped up to 15 inches (38 cm) of rain across the region, about 85 miles (140 km) northwest of San Antonio. Kidd said he was receiving unconfirmed reports of "an additional wall of water" flowing down some of the creeks in the Guadalupe Rivershed, as rain continued to fall on soil in the region already saturated from Friday's rains. "We're evacuating parts of the river right now because we are worried about another wall of a river coming down in those areas," he said, referencing volunteers from outside the area seeking to help locate victims. The Federal Emergency Management Agency was activated on Sunday and is deploying resources to first responders in Texas after Trump issued a major disaster declaration, the Department of Homeland Security said. US Coast Guard helicopters and planes were aiding search and rescue efforts. Trump has previously outlined plans to scale back the federal government's role in responding to natural disasters, leaving states to shoulder more of the burden themselves. Some experts questioned whether cuts to the federal workforce by the Trump administration, including to the agency that oversees the National Weather Service, led to a failure by officials to accurately predict the severity of the floods and issue appropriate warnings ahead of the storm. Trump's administration has overseen thousands of job cuts from the National Weather Service's parent agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, leaving many weather offices understaffed, former NOAA director Rick Spinrad said. Spinrad said he did not know if those staff cuts factored into the lack of warning for the extreme Texas flooding, but that they would inevitably degrade the agency's ability to deliver accurate and timely forecasts. Trump pushed back when asked on Sunday if federal government cuts hobbled the disaster response or left key job vacancies at the National Weather Service under Trump's oversight. "That water situation, that all is, and that was the Biden setup," he said, referencing his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden. "But I wouldn't blame Biden for it, either. I would just say this is a 100-year catastrophe." He declined to answer a question about FEMA, saying only, "They're busy working, so we'll leave it at that," Trump said. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who oversees FEMA and NOAA, said a "moderate" flood watch issued on Thursday by the National Weather Service had not accurately predicted the extreme rainfall and said the Trump administration was working to upgrade the system. Joaquin Castro, a Democratic US congressman from Texas, told CNN's "State of the Union" program that fewer personnel at the weather service could be dangerous. "When you have flash flooding, there's a risk that if you don't have the personnel ... to do that analysis, do the predictions in the best way, it could lead to tragedy," Castro said. Katharine Somerville, a counselor on the Cypress Lake side of Camp Mystic, on higher ground than the Guadalupe Riverside, said her 13-year-old campers were scared as their cabins sustained damage and lost power in the middle of the night. "Our cabins at the tippity top of hills were completely flooded with water. I mean, y'all have seen the complete devastation, we never even imagined that this could happen," Somerville said in an interview on Fox News on Sunday. Somerville said the campers in her care were put on military trucks and evacuated, and that all were safe. The disaster unfolded rapidly on Friday morning as heavier-than-forecast rain drove river waters rapidly to as high as 29 feet (9 meters). A day after the disaster struck, the summer camp, where 700 girls were in residence at the time of the flooding, was a scene of devastation. Inside one cabin, mud lines indicating how high the water had risen were at least six feet (1.83 m) from the floor. Bed frames, mattresses, and personal belongings caked with mud were scattered inside. Some buildings had broken windows, and one had a missing wall.
Business Recorder
4 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Death toll from Texas floods reaches 78; Trump plans visit
HUNT: The death toll from catastrophic floods in Texas reached at least 78 on Sunday, including 28 children, as the search for girls missing from a summer camp continued and fears of more flooding prompted evacuations of volunteer responders. Larry Leitha, sheriff of Kerr County in Texas Hill Country, said 68 people had died in flooding in his county, the epicenter of the flooding, among them 28 children. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, speaking at a press conference on Sunday afternoon, said another 10 had died elsewhere in Texas and confirmed 41 were missing. President Donald Trump sent his condolences to the victims and said he would probably visit the area on Friday. His administration had been in touch with Abbott, he added. 'It's a horrible thing that took place, absolutely horrible. So we say, God bless all of the people that have gone through so much, and God bless, God bless the state of Texas,' he told reporters as he left New Jersey. Among the most devastating impacts of the flooding occurred at Camp Mystic summer camp, a nearly century-old Christian girls camp where 10 Camp Mystic campers and one counselor were still missing, according to Leitha. 'It was nothing short of horrific to see what those young children went through,' said Abbott, who noted he toured the area on Saturday and pledged to continue efforts to locate the missing. The flooding occurred after the nearby Guadalupe River broke its banks after torrential rain fell in the central Texas area on Friday, the U.S. Independence Day holiday. Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd said the destruction killed three people in Burnet County, one in Tom Green County, five in Travis County and one in Williamson County. 'You will see the death toll rise today and tomorrow,' said Freeman Martin, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, also speaking on Sunday. Officials said on Saturday that more than 850 people had been rescued, including some clinging to trees, after a sudden storm dumped up to 15 inches (38 cm) of rain across the region, about 85 miles (140 km) northwest of San Antonio. Kidd said he was receiving unconfirmed reports of 'an additional wall of water' flowing down some of the creeks in the Guadalupe Rivershed, as rain continued to fall on soil in the region already saturated from Friday's rains. 'We're evacuating parts of the river right now because we are worried about another wall of river coming down in those areas,' he said, referencing volunteers from outside the area seeking to help locate victims. The Federal Emergency Management Agency was activated on Sunday and is deploying resources to first responders in Texas after Trump issued a major disaster declaration, the Department of Homeland Security said. U.S. Coast Guard helicopters and planes were aiding search and rescue efforts. Scaling back federal disaster response Trump has previously outlined plans to scale back the federal government's role in responding to natural disasters, leaving states to shoulder more of the burden themselves. Some experts questioned whether cuts to the federal workforce by the Trump administration, including to the agency that oversees the National Weather Service, led to a failure by officials to accurately predict the severity of the floods and issue appropriate warnings ahead of the storm. Trump's administration has overseen thousands of job cuts from the National Weather Service's parent agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, leaving many weather offices understaffed, former NOAA director Rick Spinrad said. Death toll from Texas floods reaches 59, including 21 children Spinrad said he did not know if those staff cuts factored into the lack of advance warning for the extreme Texas flooding, but that they would inevitably degrade the agency's ability to deliver accurate and timely forecasts. Trump pushed back when asked on Sunday if federal government cuts hobbled the disaster response or left key job vacancies at the National Weather Service under Trump's oversight. 'That water situation, that all is, and that was really the Biden setup,' he said referencing his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden. 'But I wouldn't blame Biden for it, either. I would just say this is 100-year catastrophe.' He declined to answer a question about FEMA, saying only 'They're busy working, so we'll leave it at that,' Trump said. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who oversees FEMA and NOAA, said a 'moderate' flood watch issued on Thursday by the National Weather Service had not accurately predicted the extreme rainfall and said the Trump administration was working to upgrade the system. Joaquin Castro, a Democratic U.S. congressman from Texas, told CNN's 'State of the Union' program that fewer personnel at the weather service could be dangerous. 'When you have flash flooding, there's a risk that if you don't have the personnel … to do that analysis, do the predictions in the best way, it could lead to tragedy,' Castro said. 'Complete devastation' Katharine Somerville, a counselor on the Cypress Lake side of Camp Mystic, on higher ground than the Guadalupe River side, said her 13-year-old campers were scared as their cabins sustained damage and lost power in the middle of the night. 'Our cabins at the tippity top of hills were completely flooded with water. I mean, y'all have seen the complete devastation, we never even imagined that this could happen,' Somerville said in an interview on Fox News on Sunday. Somerville said the campers in her care were put on military trucks and evacuated, and that all were safe. The disaster unfolded rapidly on Friday morning as heavier-than-forecast rain drove river waters rapidly to as high as 29 feet (9 meters). A day after the disaster struck, the summer camp, where 700 girls were in residence at the time of the flooding, was a scene of devastation. Inside one cabin, mud lines indicating how high the water had risen were at least six feet (1.83 m) from the floor. Bed frames, mattresses and personal belongings caked with mud were scattered inside. Some buildings had broken windows, one had a missing wall.
Business Recorder
16 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Death toll from Texas floods reaches 67, including 21 children
HUNT: The death toll from catastrophic floods in Texas reached at least 67 on Sunday, including 21 children, as the search for girls missing from a summer camp entered a third day. Larry Leitha, the Kerr County Sheriff in Texas Hill Country, the epicenter of the flooding, said the death toll in Kerr County had reached 59, including the 21 children. Leitha said 11 girls and a counselor remained missing from a summer camp near the Guadalupe River, which broke its banks after torrential rain fell in the central Texas area on Friday, the U.S. Independence Day holiday. A Travis County official said four people had died from the flooding there, with 13 unaccounted for, and officials reported another death in Kendall County. The Burnet County Sheriff's office reported two fatalities. A woman was found dead in her submerged car in the city of San Angelo in Tom Green County, the police chief said. Leitha said there were 18 adults and four children still pending identification in Kerr County. He did not say if those 22 individuals were included in the death count of 59. Officials said on Saturday that more than 850 people had been rescued, including some clinging to trees, after a sudden storm dumped up to 15 inches (38 cm) of rain across the region, about 85 miles (140 km) northwest of San Antonio. It was unclear exactly how many people in the area were still missing. 'Everyone in the community is hurting,' Leitha told reporters. The National Weather Service issued flood warnings and advisories for central Texas that were to last until 4:15 p.m. local time (2115 GMT) as rains fell, potentially complicating rescue efforts. The Federal Emergency Management Agency was activated on Sunday and is deploying resources to first responders in Texas after President Donald Trump issued a major disaster declaration, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement. United States Coast Guard helicopters and planes are helping the search and rescue efforts, DHS said. Trump has previously outlined plans to scale back the federal government's role in responding to natural disasters, leaving states to shoulder more of the burden themselves. Some experts questioned whether cuts to the federal workforce by the Trump administration, including to the agency that oversees the National Weather Service, led to a failure by officials to accurately predict the severity of the floods and issue appropriate warnings ahead of the storm. Trump's administration has overseen thousands of job cuts from the National Weather Service's parent agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, leaving many weather offices understaffed, said former NOAA director Rick Spinrad. 27 people confirmed dead as flood waters recede in central Texas He said he did not know if those staff cuts factored into the lack of advance warning for the extreme Texas flooding, but that they would inevitably degrade the agency's ability to deliver accurate and timely forecasts. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who oversees NOAA, said a 'moderate' flood watch issued on Thursday by the National Weather Service had not accurately predicted the extreme rainfall and said the Trump administration was working to upgrade the system. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. Joaquin Castro, a Democratic congressman from Texas, told CNN's 'State of the Union' that fewer personnel at the weather service could be dangerous. 'When you have flash flooding, there's a risk that if you don't have the personnel… to do that analysis, do the predictions in the best way, it could lead to tragedy,' Castro said. 'Complete devastation' The 11 missing girls and the counselor were from the Camp Mystic summer camp, a nearly century-old Christian girls camp, which had 700 girls in residence at the time of the flood. Katharine Somerville, a counselor on the Cypress Lake side of Camp Mystic, on higher ground than the Guadalupe River side, said her 13-year-old campers were scared as their cabins suffered damage and lost power in the middle of the night. 'Our cabins at the tippity top of hills were completely flooded with water. I mean, y'all have seen the complete devastation, we never even imagined that this could happen,' she said in an interview on Fox News on Sunday. She said the campers in her care were put on military trucks and evacuated, and that all were safe. The disaster unfolded rapidly on Friday morning as heavier-than-forecast rain drove river waters rapidly to as high as 29 feet (9 meters). A day after the disaster struck, the summer camp was a scene of devastation. Inside one cabin, mud lines indicating how high the water had risen were at least six feet (1.83 m) from the floor. Bed frames, mattresses and personal belongings caked with mud were scattered inside. Some buildings had broken windows, one had a missing wall. Somerville, who attended Camp Mystic as a child, lauded longtime camp director Richard 'Dick' Eastland, who died while trying to save girls at the camp, according to local media reports.
