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Daily Mail
09-07-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
The disastrous Camp Mystic safety plans signed just days before catastrophic Texas flood revealed
Camp Mystic counselors had no walkie talkies during a flood that killed dozens of children and say they were unaware of an evacuation plan. The all-girls Christian summer camp, lost 27 campers and counselors after the Guadalupe River flooded and surged by up to 30 feet above its usual water level in the early hours of July 4. Five girls and a counselor were still unaccounted for at Camp Mystic as of Tuesday night. Newly released records show that Texas inspectors signed off on Camp Mystic's emergency planning just two days before the camp was swept by raging floodwaters. The Department of State Health Services released records on Tuesday showing that the camp complied with a host of state regulations regarding 'procedures to be implemented in case of a disaster.' But some staffers alleged details of the plan had not been communicated and that they were woefully unprepared when disaster struck. The state inspected Camp Mystic on July 2, the same day the Texas Division of Emergency Management activated emergency response resources in anticipation of the impending flooding. Camp Mystic had 557 campers and more than 100 staff members at the time between its Guadalupe and Cypress Lake locations. The inspection found no deficiencies or violations in a comprehensive list of health and safety criteria at the camp. The records come as one Camp Mystic counselor shared they did not have communication devices during the flood. One counselor told CNN that while the owners and few leaders had walkie talkes, most of them did not. She also indicated that they had not received evacuation training. Earlier this week, counselor Caroline Cutrona explained to the outlet that Camp Mystic has a no-screen policy, and staff members are required to turn off their phones while working. She said that because of this policy, she did not receive the weather emergency alerts sent out. 'As camp counselors, we turn in our phone when we don't have our time off. So, there was no alert or anything that I heard. No signal to know that anything was happening,' Cutrona said. 'We have just an overall loudspeaker... But, the power went out at about 4am at Camp Mystic. 'Once that power went out, I knew in my head, "Oh, we're not going to have reveille, which is what we wake up to." No announcements could have been made.' The camp's father-figure and owner, Richard 'Dick' Eastland, 70, died while trying to save the young girls. The 13 girls and two counselors were staying in Camp Mystic's Bubble Inn cabin when the catastrophic floods hit on Friday morning A heartbreaking photo showed an entire cabin of Camp Mystic girls and counselors who were washed away in the horrific Texas floods. The 13 girls and two counselors were staying in Camp Mystic's Bubble Inn cabin, which, alongside the Twins cabin, housed the youngest of the girls, aged 8 to 10. The cabins were less than 500 feet from the river and thus took in water from two directions: the Guadalupe River and a nearby creek, making the girls' escape particularly challenging.
CBC
09-07-2025
- General
- CBC
Camp Mystic's emergency plan passed state inspection 2 days before deadly flooding
Social Sharing Texas inspectors signed off on Camp Mystic's emergency planning just two days before catastrophic flooding killed more than two dozen people at the all-girls Christian summer camp, most of them children. The Department of State Health Services released records Tuesday showing the camp complied with a host of state regulations regarding "procedures to be implemented in case of a disaster." Among them: instructing campers what to do if they need to evacuate the camp and assigning specific duties to each staff member and counsellor. Five years of inspection reports released to The Associated Press do not offer any details of those plans at Mystic, raising new questions about the camp's preparedness ahead of the torrential July 4 rainfall in flood-prone Texas Hill Country. The U.S. National Weather Service had issued a flood watch for the area on July 3 at 1:18 p.m. local time. That danger prompted at least one of the roughly 18 camps along the Guadalupe River to move dozens of campers to higher ground. The uncertainty about what happened at Mystic comes as local officials have repeatedly dodged questions about who was monitoring the weather and what measures were taken ahead of the flooding. WATCH | Why Camp Mystic suffered such loss: Texas flash flood: Why Camp Mystic was so vulnerable 1 day ago Duration 2:29 No evacuation ordered Camp Mystic, established in 1926, did not evacuate and was especially hard hit when the river rose from 4.2 metres to nine metres within 60 minutes in the early morning hours of the disaster. Flooding on that stretch of the Guadalupe starts at about three metres. A wall of water overwhelmed people in cabins, tents and trailers along the river's edge. Some survivors were found clinging to trees. At least 27 campers and counselors died during the floods, and officials said Tuesday that five campers and one counsellor have still not been found. Among the dead was Richard "Dick" Eastland, the camp's beloved director described by campers as a father figure. Charlotte Lauten, 19, spent nine summers at Camp Mystic, mostly recently in 2023. She said she didn't recall ever receiving instructions as a camper on what do in the case of a weather emergency. "I do know that the counsellors go through orientation training for a week before camp starts," she said. "They do brief them on all those types of things." One thing that likely hindered the girls' ability to escape was how dark it would have been, Lauten said. Campers don't have access to their phones while at camp, she said, adding they wouldn't have cell service anyway because of the remote location. "This is the middle of nowhere and they didn't have power," she said. "It would have been pitch black, like could not see five feet in front of you type of darkness. I've never seen stars like there because there's just no light." WATCH | Governor mourns campers lost at Camp Mystic: Texas governor pays tribute to campers lost in floods 4 hours ago Duration 1:15 Gov. Greg Abbott took an aerial tour of the flood devastation left behind in parts of central Texas on Tuesday and spoke afterward about the young victims in the area. 'Nothing is as heart-wrenching as hearing the stories of what the girls around here — especially the girls at Camp Mystic — went through,' he said. Inspections found no issues The state inspected Camp Mystic on July 2, the same day the Texas Division of Emergency Management activated emergency response resources ahead of the anticipated flooding. The inspection found no deficiencies or violations at the camp in a long list of health and safety criteria. The camp had 557 campers and more than 100 staffers at the time between its Guadalupe and Cypress Lake locations. The disaster plans are required to be posted in all camp buildings but aren't filed with the state, said Lara Anton, a spokesperson for the Texas Department of State Health Services. "We do not have them," Anton wrote in an email. "You'd have to get it from the camp." Camp Mystic did not respond to requests for comment on its emergency plan. In a statement on its website, the camp said it has been "in communication with local and state authorities who are tirelessly deploying extensive resources to search for our missing girls." Camp Mystic notes that it is licensed by the state and a member of the Camping Association for Mutual Progress, which says its goal is to "raise health and safety standards" for summer camps. Leaders of that association didn't return messages. The American Camp Association said Tuesday that Camp Mystic is not accredited with that organization, whose standards focus on safety and risk management. Spokesperson Lauren McMillin declined to say whether the camp previously had been accredited with the association, which describes itself as "the only nationwide accrediting organization for all year-round and summer camps."
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Texas inspectors approved Camp Mystic's disaster plan 2 days before deadly flood, records show
Texas inspectors signed off on Camp Mystic's emergency planning just two days before catastrophic flooding killed more than two dozen people at the all-girls Christian summer camp, most of them children. The Department of State Health Services released records Tuesday showing the camp complied with a host of state regulations regarding 'procedures to be implemented in case of a disaster.' Among them: instructing campers what to do if they need to evacuate and assigning specific duties to each staff member and counselor. Five years of inspection reports released to The Associated Press do not offer any details of those plans at Mystic, raising new questions about the camp's preparedness ahead of the torrential July 4 rainfall in flood-prone Texas Hill Country. The National Weather Service had issued a flood watch for the area on July 3 at 1:18 p.m. That danger prompted at least one of the roughly 18 camps along the Guadalupe River to move dozens of campers to higher ground. Camp Mystic, established in 1926, did not do that and was especially hard hit when the river rose from 14 feet (4.2 meters) to 29.5 feet (9 meters) within 60 minutes in the early morning hours of the disaster. Flooding on that stretch of the Guadalupe starts at about 10 feet (3 meters). A wall of water overwhelmed people in cabins, tents and trailers along the river's edge. Some survivors were found clinging to trees. The uncertainty about what happened at Mystic comes as local officials have repeatedly dodged questions about who was monitoring the weather and what measures were taken ahead of the flooding. At least 27 campers and counselors died during the floods, and officials said Tuesday that five campers and one counselor have still not been found. Among the dead was Richard 'Dick' Eastland, the camp's beloved director described by campers as a father figure. The potential for heavy rains had put precautions in motion as the state activated an emergency response plan and moved resources into the central Texas area. The state inspected Camp Mystic on July 2, the same day the Texas Division of Emergency Management activated emergency response resources ahead of the anticipated flooding. The inspection found no deficiencies or violations at the camp in a long list of health and safety criteria. The camp had 557 campers and more than 100 staffers at the time between its Guadalupe and Cypress Lake locations. The disaster plans are required to be posted in all camp buildings but aren't filed with the state, said Lara Anton, a spokesperson for the Texas Department of State Health Services. 'We do not have them,' Anton wrote in an email. 'You'd have to get it from the camp.' Camp Mystic did not respond to requests for comment on its emergency plan. In a statement on its website, the camp said it has been 'in communication with local and state authorities who are tirelessly deploying extensive resources to search for our missing girls.' Camp Mystic notes that it is licensed by the state and a member of the Camping Association for Mutual Progress, which says its goal is to 'raise health and safety standards' for summer camps. Leaders of that association didn't return messages. The American Camp Association said Tuesday that Camp Mystic is not accredited with that organization, whose standards focus on safety and risk management. Spokesperson Lauren McMillin declined to say whether the camp previously had been accredited with the association, which describes itself as 'the only nationwide accrediting organization for all year-round and summer camps.' One rain gauge about a mile (1.6 kilometers) from Camp Mystic recorded 9.5 inches (24 centimeters) of precipitation July 4, according to Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority data. Another of the agency's gauges — further south and to the west — recorded 12.2 inches (31 centimeters) of precipitation. The authority told the AP that a review of its equipment found both were functioning during the flood event. However, at least four United States Geological Survey gauges along the Guadalupe River experienced some level of failure July 4. The gauges, located near Hunt and Kerrville, stopped collecting both river levels and the flow rate of water in the early morning hours of July 4. One gauge, about 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) east of Hunt and 5 miles (8 kilometers) northeast of Camp Mystic, recorded a level of 29.5 feet (9 meters) at 4:35 a.m. on July 4, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data. It was the last recorded river level from the instrumentation until a USGS hydrologist installed a temporary gauge. At the time, the hydrologist measured the high water mark at 37.52 feet (11.44 meters), a preliminary estimate that could change. At that location, a river level of 32 feet (9.75 meters) could lead to 'disastrous life-threatening flooding,' which could cover the roads of the lowest camps and resorts, according to NOAA. ___ This story has been updated to correct that the rain gauge that recorded 9.5 inches (24 centimeters) of precipitation was about a mile (1.6 kilometers) from Camp Mystic, not 1,500 feet (460 meters). ___ Associated Press reporter Hannah Fingerhut contributed.
Washington Post
09-07-2025
- General
- Washington Post
Texas inspectors approved Camp Mystic's disaster plan 2 days before deadly flood, records show
Texas inspectors signed off on Camp Mystic's emergency planning just two days before catastrophic flooding killed more than two dozen people at the all-girls Christian summer camp, most of them children. The Department of State Health Services released records Tuesday showing the camp complied with a host of state regulations regarding 'procedures to be implemented in case of a disaster.' Among them: instructing campers what to do if they need to evacuate and assigning specific duties to each staff member and counselor.
Al Arabiya
09-07-2025
- Climate
- Al Arabiya
Texas Inspectors Approved Camp Mystic's Disaster Plan 2 Days Before Deadly Flood, Records Show
Texas inspectors signed off on Camp Mystic's emergency planning just two days before catastrophic flooding killed more than two dozen people at the all-girls Christian summer camp–most of them children. The Department of State Health Services released records Tuesday showing the camp complied with a host of state regulations regarding procedures to be implemented in case of a disaster. Among them: instructing campers what to do if they need to evacuate and assigning specific duties to each staff member and counselor. Five years of inspection reports released to The Associated Press do not offer any details of those plans at Mystic, raising new questions about the camp's preparedness ahead of the torrential July 4 rainfall in flood-prone Texas Hill Country. The National Weather Service had issued a flood watch for the area on July 3 at 1:18 p.m. That danger prompted at least one of the roughly 18 camps along the Guadalupe River to move dozens of campers to higher ground. Camp Mystic, established in 1926, did not do that and was especially hard hit when the river rose from 14 feet (4.2 meters) to 29.5 feet (9 meters) within 60 minutes in the early morning hours of the disaster. Flooding on that stretch of the Guadalupe starts at about 10 feet (3 meters). A wall of water overwhelmed people in cabins, tents, and trailers along the river's edge. Some survivors were found clinging to trees. The uncertainty about what happened at Mystic comes as local officials have repeatedly dodged questions about who was monitoring the weather and what measures were taken ahead of the flooding. At least 27 campers and counselors died during the floods, and officials said Tuesday that five campers and one counselor have still not been found. Among the dead was Richard 'Dick' Eastland, the camp's beloved director described by campers as a 'father figure.' The potential for heavy rains had put precautions in motion as the state activated an emergency response plan and moved resources into the central Texas area. The state inspected Camp Mystic on July 2, the same day the Texas Division of Emergency Management activated emergency response resources ahead of the anticipated flooding. The inspection found no deficiencies or violations at the camp in a long list of health and safety criteria. The camp had 557 campers and more than 100 staffers at the time between its Guadalupe and Cypress Lake locations. The disaster plans are required to be posted in all camp buildings but aren't filed with the state, said Lara Anton, a spokesperson for the Texas Department of State Health Services. 'We do not have them,' Anton wrote in an email. 'You'd have to get it from the camp.' Camp Mystic did not respond to requests for comment on its emergency plan. In a statement on its website, the camp said it has been in communication with local and state authorities who are 'tirelessly deploying extensive resources to search for our missing girls.' Camp Mystic notes that it is licensed by the state and a member of the Camping Association for Mutual Progress, which says its goal is to raise health and safety standards for summer camps. Leaders of that association didn't return messages. The American Camp Association said Tuesday that Camp Mystic is not accredited with that organization, whose standards focus on safety and risk management. A spokesperson declined to say whether the camp previously had been accredited with the association, which describes itself as the only nationwide accrediting organization for all year-round and summer camps. 'Our thoughts are with the entire community of campers, families, and staff during this devastating time,' the spokesperson, Lauren McMillin, wrote in an email.
