Latest news with #MoRanch
SBS Australia
08-07-2025
- Climate
- SBS Australia
"We had no warning": locals questioning lead-up to deadly floods in Texas
'(A) Sturdy aluminum kayak, canoe, that is wrapped around a tree like a pretzel. And that just shows you the sheer power of the water." That's Lisa Winters, one of the camp officials at Mo-Ranch, a Presbyterian conference centre in central Texas that runs retreats and summer camps. It was one of the places hit by flash flooding when the nearby Guadalupe River broke its banks after torrential rain fell on the fourth of July, the U.S. Independence Day holiday. The number of deaths in the region has already reached at least 104 - and Texas Governor Greg Abbott says an undetermined number of people are unaccounted for. "Especially in the Kerrville area, there were so many people who were just camping out, not children in camps, but adults camping out near the river, people in RVs and things like that. There are people who are missing who are not on the known confirmed missing because we don't yet know who they are." Hardest hit by the flooding was Camp Mystic, a nearly century-old camp, where dozens of young girls were swept away in the floodwaters and 27 are still missing. Mo-Ranch was more fortunate. Lisa Winters say the staff and campers there were all safely evacuated to higher ground when the facilities manager noticed the nearby river rising rapidly. "He started to see it at one in the morning and that's when he called our president and CEO who lives on the ranch. And that they were worried enough that they started to just pull up everything on the riverfront. And then by three (in the morning), the only lodging where we knew we had kids, they evacuated them all. So that was three, four. So it just, from one on, it kept rising." She says they didn't know things were going to get so bad. "Hundreds of kids there, and I remember - what I remember, I wasn't even thinking, we had no warning, we had no warning that this was coming." Local reporter Jim Vertuno says he's been hearing similar accounts. "Some families have relayed some frustration that maybe they did not get enough warning in advance of the floods. Others have said things happened so fast, even those who've got a warning have very little time to react." But state officials have so far bristled at suggestions that camps and residents in the area were potentially left to make their own decisions - in the absence of warnings or notifications from the county. Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice has said it's not the time to be responding to those concerns. "I know you guys keep asking this question. You know, we appreciate it. We think it's important. We don't want to speculate. And, know, at this time we know there's a lot of speculation and questions around it again. There's gonna be a full review of this so we can make sure that we focus on future preparedness. We just - again - we want to continue to focus on the families at this time and so we're getting through that." Senator Ted Cruz says some have been eager to point at the National Weather Service, and say the Trump administration cuts led to a lack of advance notice - an argument he argues is contradicted by the facts. Chief Meteorologist for Accuweather, Jonathon Porter, agrees with such assessments. "Notice the time difference between these flash flood warnings that were issued and the peak of the flash flooding that occurred in the Hunt, Texas, area around 4:30 Central Time. There were several hours of advanced notice, ample time for people to move to higher ground, and for the local officials to take action in order to move people to safe areas." Still, questions about preparation and warnings are being asked in the nation's capital. The U.S. Senate's top Democrat - Chuck Schumer - has requested the Department of Commerce's acting inspector look into whether staffing vacancies at the Weather Service's San Antonio office contributed to any delays, gaps, or diminished accuracy in forecasting the flooding. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has responded furiously to the request, saying local and state agencies acted appropriately - and that Trump's cuts did not affect authorities' responses to the flooding. "Any person who has deliberately lied about these facts surrounding this catastrophic event, you should be deeply ashamed." In the meantime, the grim task of finding victims and even survivors has continued. Governor Greg Abbott has vowed that authorities will be relentless and work around the clock to rescue and recover victims. Colonel Freeman Martin from the Texas Department of Public Safety says new areas will be searched as the water recedes. "This is tough work. It's hot there in the mud to remove and debris. There's snakes. There's water moccasins. This is God's work that they're doing."
Fox News
07-07-2025
- Climate
- Fox News
Texas summer camp evacuated 70 staying near river ahead of flooding: 'Saw it coming'
A Texas summer camp near the Guadalupe River evacuated about 70 children and adults after camp officials noticed rising waters and a deluge of rain early on the Fourth of July. The 500-acre Presbyterian Mo-Ranch Assembly, a recreation destination which had been hosting a summer camp, as well as a youth conference with churches across the U.S., is located at the headwaters of the river and had been monitoring the situation for about 24 hours, Mo-Ranch communications director Lisa Winters told KENS5. It was about 1 a.m. Friday when a facilities manager, Aroldo Barrera, notified his boss, who had been monitoring reports of the storms approaching, the Associated Press reported. Despite the absence of warning by local authorities, camp officials at Mo-Ranch acted quickly on their own, relocating about 70 children and adults staying overnight in a building near the river. With the kids safe, camp leaders including President and CEO Tim Huchton avoided the catastrophe that hit at least one other camp near Hunt, Texas. "They helped them pack up," Winters told the AP on Sunday. "They got them up, they got them out, put them up on higher ground." Other places fared much worse. Flash floods roared through Texas Hill Country before dawn on Friday, decimating landscape near the river and leaving more than 80 dead and dozens unaccounted for. As of Sunday, officials said 10 girls from nearby Camp Mystic remained missing. Rescue and recovery teams combed the area for them and others still unaccounted for days afterward. "We have the great blessing and advantage of being elevated enough to get people to a higher ground," Winters told KENS5 on Saturday. "We were making our plans and changing our plans and moving people up to higher ground well in advance last night." She said Mo-Ranch had been hosting several hundred campers, several hundred people from the conference, as well as regular guests there for the holiday weekend, all of whom were accounted for. She explained that the camp was without power. "Mo-Ranch is a Christian-based camp, and we prepare kids to be strong and to be resilient, and to have faith that they can get forward," Winters told KENS. "The ironic part of this, the big youth celebration that I attended last night – we just changed plans because we knew something was coming – the whole theme was stress and anxiety for kids and how to fight it and how to be powerful. They just put this into place, and they pulled together." "I can't say there wasn't anxiety. I wasn't right there when it happened. But everybody was prepared. Everybody was strong. Everybody safely made it through," Winters said. The decision to leave added to the mounting accounts of how camps and residents in the area say they were left to make their own decisions in the absence of warnings or notifications from the county. Local authorities have faced heavy scrutiny and at times have deflected questions about how much warning they had or were able to provide the public, saying the reviews will come later, according to the AP. For now, they say they are focusing on rescues. Officials have said they did not expect such an intense downpour, the equivalent of months' worth of rain for the area. Winters told the AP that Mo-Ranch received no direct information from county officials about flooding that could – and did – take lives. "We had no warning this was coming," Winters said, adding that it would have been "devastating" had camp officials not been looking at weather reports and the rising river waters. Mo-Ranch "saw it coming well in advance, and they did something about it," she said. Winters told KENS that there are hundreds of camps located along the Guadalupe River, and Mo-Ranch sits on the top of the cliffs in Hunt. By about 7 a.m. on Friday, camp staff began contacting children's parents, telling them their kids were safe. "They knew that those parents would wake up and just see all this media footage of kids lost, or the river," Winters told the AP. "They're like, 'Tell your parents you're OK' … We made sure every single guest, every single kid, was accounted for." The camp, which sits on higher ground than some in the area, suffered some damage, but not as significant as others, Winters said. "The buildings don't matter," she said. "I can't imagine losing children, or people." She said a sturdy aluminum kayak was wrapped around a tree "like a pretzel." "That just shows you the sheer power of the water. I don't know how any people could survive. We're blessed," she said. The camp remained closed on Sunday and Mo-Ranch was working on ways to help other camps affected by the flood. "We're in a difficult place because others are really suffering," Winters, who became emotional during an interview, told the AP. "We're a sisterhood of camps. We take care of each other."
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Quick action by 1 Texas summer camp led to timely evacuations ahead of deadly flood
It was about 1 a.m. on the Fourth of July when the facilities manager at a central Texas summer camp saw water from the Guadalupe River steadily rising amid a deluge of rain. Aroldo Barrera notified his boss, who had been monitoring reports of the storms approaching Presbyterian Mo-Ranch Assembly, a recreation destination where an intercultural youth conference had been called off early just hours earlier. Despite an absence of warning by local authorities, camp officials acted quickly on their own, relocating about 70 children and adults staying overnight in a building near the river. With the kids safe, camp leaders including President and CEO Tim Huchton were able to avoid the catastrophe that hit at least one other camp near Hunt, where the 500-acre Mo-Ranch is located. 'They helped them pack up,' Lisa Winters, communications director for Mo-Ranch, told The Associated Press on Sunday. 'They got them up, they got them out, put them up on higher ground.' Other places fared much worse. Flash floods that roared through Texas Hill Country before dawn on Friday decimated the landscape near the river, leaving at least 79 dead and many others unaccounted for. As of Sunday, 10 girls from nearby Camp Mystic remained missing, officials said. Rescue and recovery teams combed the area for them and others still unaccounted for days after the flood. The decision to leave added to the mounting accounts of how camps and residents in the area say they were left to make their own decisions in the absence of warnings or notifications from the county. Local authorities have faced heavy scrutiny and at times have deflected questions about how much warning they had or were able to provide the public, saying the reviews will come later. For now, they say they're focusing on rescues. Officials have said they did not expect such an intense downpour, the equivalent of months' worth of rain for the area. Mo-Ranch suffered no loss of life, said Winters, adding that the camp received no direct information from county officials about flooding that could — and did — take lives. 'We had no warning this was coming,' Winters said, adding that it would have been 'devastating' had camp officials not been looking at weather reports and the rising river waters. Mo-Ranch 'saw it coming well in advance and they did something about it,' she said. By about 7 a.m. Friday, camp staff began contacting children's parents, telling them their kids were safe. 'They knew that those parents would wake up and just see all this media footage of kids lost, or the river,' Winters said. 'They're like, 'tell your parents you're OK' … We made sure every single guest, every single kid, was accounted for.' The camp, which sits on higher ground than some in the area, suffered some damage, but not as significant as others, Winters said. 'The buildings don't matter,' she said. 'I can't imagine losing children, or people.' She said a sturdy aluminum kayak was wrapped around a tree 'like a pretzel.' 'That just shows you the sheer power of the water. I don't know how any people could survive. We're blessed,' she said. The camp remained closed Sunday and Mo-Ranch was working on ways to help other camps affected by the flood. 'We're in a difficult place because others are really suffering,' said Winters, who became emotional during an interview. 'We're a sisterhood of camps. We take care of each other.'
The Independent
06-07-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
Quick action by one Texas summer camp leads to timely evacuations ahead of deadly flood
It was about 1 a.m. on the Fourth of July when the facilities manager at a central Texas summer camp saw water from the Guadalupe River steadily rising amid a deluge of rain. Aroldo Barrera notified his boss, who had been monitoring reports of the storms approaching Presbyterian Mo-Ranch Assembly, a recreation destination where an intercultural youth conference had been called off early just hours earlier. Despite an absence of warning by local authorities, camp officials acted quickly on their own, relocating about 70 children and adults staying overnight in a building near the river. With the kids safe, camp leaders including President and CEO Tim Huchton were able to avoid the catastrophe that hit at least one other camp near Hunt, where the 500-acre Mo-Ranch is located. 'They helped them pack up,' Lisa Winters, communications director for Mo-Ranch, told The Associated Press on Sunday. 'They got them up, they got them out, put them up on higher ground.' Other places fared much worse. Flash floods that roared through Texas Hill Country before dawn on Friday decimated the landscape near the river, leaving at least 79 dead and many others unaccounted for. As of Sunday, 10 girls from nearby Camp Mystic remained missing, officials said. Rescue and recovery teams combed the area for them and others still unaccounted for days after the flood. The decision to leave added to the mounting accounts of how camps and residents in the area say they were left to make their own decisions in the absence of warnings or notifications from the county. Local authorities have faced heavy scrutiny and at times have deflected questions about how much warning they had or were able to provide the public, saying the reviews will come later. For now, they say they're focusing on rescues. Officials have said they did not expect such an intense downpour, the equivalent of months' worth of rain for the area. Mo-Ranch suffered no loss of life, said Winters, adding that the camp received no direct information from county officials about flooding that could — and did — take lives. 'We had no warning this was coming," Winters said, adding that it would have been 'devastating' had camp officials not been looking at weather reports and the rising river waters. Mo-Ranch 'saw it coming well in advance and they did something about it,' she said. By about 7 a.m. Friday, camp staff began contacting children's parents, telling them their kids were safe. 'They knew that those parents would wake up and just see all this media footage of kids lost, or the river,' Winters said. 'They're like, 'tell your parents you're OK' … We made sure every single guest, every single kid, was accounted for.' The camp, which sits on higher ground than some in the area, suffered some damage, but not as significant as others, Winters said. 'The buildings don't matter,' she said. 'I can't imagine losing children, or people.' She said a sturdy aluminum kayak was wrapped around a tree 'like a pretzel.' 'That just shows you the sheer power of the water. I don't know how any people could survive. We're blessed,' she said. The camp remained closed Sunday and Mo-Ranch was working on ways to help other camps affected by the flood. 'We're in a difficult place because others are really suffering,' said Winters, who became emotional during an interview. 'We're a sisterhood of camps. We take care of each other.'
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Quick action by one Texas summer camp leads to timely evacuations ahead of deadly flood
It was about 1 a.m. on the Fourth of July when the facilities manager at a central Texas summer camp saw water from the Guadalupe River steadily rising amid a deluge of rain. Aroldo Barrera notified his boss, who had been monitoring reports of the storms approaching Presbyterian Mo-Ranch Assembly, a recreation destination where an intercultural youth conference had been called off early just hours earlier. Despite an absence of warning by local authorities, camp officials acted quickly on their own, relocating about 70 children and adults staying overnight in a building near the river. With the kids safe, camp leaders including President and CEO Tim Huchton were able to avoid the catastrophe that hit at least one other camp near Hunt, where the 500-acre Mo-Ranch is located. 'They helped them pack up,' Lisa Winters, communications director for Mo-Ranch, told The Associated Press on Sunday. 'They got them up, they got them out, put them up on higher ground.' Other places fared much worse. Flash floods that roared through Texas Hill Country before dawn on Friday decimated the landscape near the river, leaving at least 78 dead and many others unaccounted for. As of Sunday, 10 girls from nearby Camp Mystic remained missing, officials said. Rescue and recovery teams combed the area for them and others still unaccounted for days after the flood. The decision to leave added to the mounting accounts of how camps and residents in the area say they were left to make their own decisions in the absence of warnings or notifications from the county. Local authorities have faced heavy scrutiny and at times have deflected questions about how much warning they had or were able to provide the public, saying the reviews will come later. For now, they say they're focusing on rescues. Officials have said they did not expect such an intense downpour, the equivalent of months' worth of rain for the area. Mo-Ranch suffered no loss of life, said Winters, adding that the camp received no direct information from county officials about flooding that could — and did — take lives. 'We had no warning this was coming," Winters said, adding that it would have been 'devastating' had camp officials not been looking at weather reports and the rising river waters. Mo-Ranch 'saw it coming well in advance and they did something about it,' she said. By about 7 a.m. Friday, camp staff began contacting children's parents, telling them their kids were safe. 'They knew that those parents would wake up and just see all this media footage of kids lost, or the river,' Winters said. 'They're like, 'tell your parents you're OK' … We made sure every single guest, every single kid, was accounted for.' The camp, which sits on higher ground than some in the area, suffered some damage, but not as significant as others, Winters said. 'The buildings don't matter,' she said. 'I can't imagine losing children, or people.' She said a sturdy aluminum kayak was wrapped around a tree 'like a pretzel.' 'That just shows you the sheer power of the water. I don't know how any people could survive. We're blessed,' she said. The camp remained closed Sunday and Mo-Ranch was working on ways to help other camps affected by the flood. 'We're in a difficult place because others are really suffering,' said Winters, who became emotional during an interview. 'We're a sisterhood of camps. We take care of each other.'
