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Global News
a day ago
- Climate
- Global News
Coast guard swimmer saves 169 lives in Texas floods on first-ever rescue
A U.S. Coast Guard swimmer is being hailed a hero after rescuing 169 people from flash flooding at Camp Mystic in Texas during a natural disaster that has devastated communities across the state. At about 7 a.m. on Friday, Scott Ruskan, 26, was on duty at an air station in Corpus Christi, Texas, when his team was called in to respond to raging floods in central Texas. During an interview on Good Morning America on Monday, Ruskan said he 'just happened to be on the duty crew' when the call came in, and treacherous weather conditions turned what should have been a 60-minute flight from Corpus Christi to Hunt into an hours-long ordeal. After navigating a difficult journey, the team established a triage site at Camp Mystic, a century-old all-girls camp along the Guadalupe River, and stationed Ruskan there, while helicopters landed and took off to transport survivors to safety. Story continues below advertisement Camp Mystic was ravaged by the flooding, which claimed the lives of 27 campers, including children. View image in full screen A view of Camp Mystic, the site where at least 20 girls went missing after flash flooding in Hunt, Texas, on July 5, 2025. RONALDO SCHEMIDT / RONALDO SCHEMIDT / Getty Images 'I kind of discovered I was the only person there as far as first responders go. So I had about 200, kids mostly. All scared, terrified, cold, having probably the worst day of their life. And I just kind of needed to triage them, get them to a higher level of care, and get them off the flood zone,' he told Good Morning America. Ruskan worked with members of the U.S. Army National Guard to execute the rescue. The young first responder said the team established two landing zones, one on an archery field and another on a football field. Ruskan would guide groups of mostly children and some adults to the helicopters, which would then fly them out to secondary safe zones with more resources. Story continues below advertisement Ruskan finished his training with the coast guard just six months ago; the Texas floods were his first rescue mission. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'Coast guard rescue swimmers get some of the highest-level training in the world. So really just kind of relied on that, just knowing that any of the rescue swimmers in the coast guard would have done the exact same, if not better than me,' he said. View image in full screen Search and recovery workers dig through debris looking for any survivors or remains of people swept up in the flash flooding at Camp Mystic on July 6, 2025, in Hunt, Texas. Jim Vondruska / Getty Images Ruskan also said he felt motivated to do his job by the trust the children put in him. Story continues below advertisement 'They don't really know what my experience is or my rank or my age … they just know, 'Hey this guy is a professional, and he's here to help us.' And I kind of had to live up to that standard,' he said. While Ruskan has been praised for offering a glimpse of hope to affected Texans during an unprecedented natural disaster, he says 'the kids on the ground' are the real heroes. 'Those guys are heroic, and they were dealing with some of the worst times of their lives, and they were staying strong. That helped inspire me to get in there and help them out,' he added. View image in full screen A view inside a cabin at Camp Mystic, the site where at least 20 girls went missing after flash flooding in Hunt, Texas, on July 5, 2025. (Photo by RONALDO SCHEMIDT / AFRONALDO SCHEMIDT / Getty Images Ruskan told the New York Post that rescuers were able to get the majority of people trapped in Camp Mystic out, but that there were still many missing and that the mission was far from over. Story continues below advertisement Texas Sen. Ted Cruz wrote on Facebook on Tuesday that he had met with Ruskan and he was 'eternally grateful' for his service. The death toll from the floods passed 100 on Monday, as search and rescue teams continued to search for survivors, including 10 Camp Mystic girls and one counsellor who are still unaccounted for. 'We have been in communication with local and state authorities who are tirelessly deploying extensive resources to search for our missing girls,' the camp said in a statement. Searchers have found the bodies of 84 people, including 28 children, in the county home to Camp Mystic and several other summer camps, officials said. Among the deceased is the camp's owner, Richard Eastland. — With files from The Associated Press
Toronto Sun
2 days ago
- Climate
- Toronto Sun
Twin 8-year-old girls, a beloved soccer coach and camp director among those killed in Texas floods
Published Jul 07, 2025 • 6 minute read A search and rescue team looks for people along the Guadalupe River near a damaged building at Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas, on July 7, 2025, following severe flash flooding that occurred during the July 4 holiday weekend. Photo by RONALDO SCHEMIDT / AFP via Getty Images Two eight-year-old sisters from Dallas who had just completed 2nd grade. A beloved soccer coach and teacher. An Alabama elementary student away from home. These are a few of the dozens of victims lost in devastating flooding in Texas. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The flooding in central Texas originated from the fast-moving waters on the Guadalupe River on Friday, killing at least 89 people. Authorities say search and rescue efforts are still underway, including for campers missing from a summer camp for girls. Hanna and Rebecca Lawrence were 8-year-old sisters from Dallas who were among the victims killed by the flooding at Camp Mystic. The girls had just finished second grade, their parents said. 'Hanna and Rebecca brought so much joy to us, to their big sister Harper, and to so many others,' John and Lacy Lawrence said in a statement. '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. ' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. David Lawrence, the girls' grandfather and former publisher of the Miami Herald, said 'it has been an unimaginable time for all of us.' He said the girls gave their family, including their sister, joy. 'They and that joy can never be forgotten,' he said in a statement. University Park Elementary School, where Hanna and Rebecca attended, said on its website that 'numerous' students were in the Texas Hill Country during the flooding and had to evacuate. The school did not immediately respond to a message left Monday morning. '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,' the school said on its site. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Reece Zunker was described as 'a passionate educator and a beloved soccer coach' by Tivy High School in Kerrville, Texas. 'His unwavering dedication to our students, athletes, and the Tivy community touched countless lives and will never be forgotten,' the school posted online Sunday. Paula Zunker was a former teacher at the school. 'The care and impact she shared with her students continue to be felt, even years later,' the post said. The couple's young children, Lyle and Holland, were still missing, the school said. The family had been staying at a river house in Hunt. Tanya Burwick The last time Tanya Burwick's family heard from her was a frantic phone call about the floodwaters as she headed to work at a Walmart early Friday in the San Angelo area. When Burwick didn't show up for work, her employer filed a missing persons report and sent a colleague to look for her. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Police investigating the 62-year-old's disappearance found Burwick's unoccupied SUV fully submerged later that day. Her body was found the next morning blocks from the vehicle. 'She lit up the room and had a laugh that made other people laugh,' said Lindsey Burwick, who added that her mom was a beloved parent, grandparent and colleague to many. She and her brother Zac said the day was especially difficult because it happened on July Fourth as they were working at a fireworks stand that's been in the family for generations. As word of Tanya Burwick's disappearance spread, people from from Blackwell, a small community of about 250 people, showed up to the stand that's run out of a trailer painted orange. 'People came to our aid,' Lindsey Burwick said. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Police in San Angelo said more than 12,000 houses, barns and other buildings have been affected by the floods in the community of roughly 100,000 people. 'We ask that the public continue to keep the Burwick family in their thoughts and prayers as they navigate this heartbreaking tragedy,' the San Angelo Police Department said in a Facebook post. Jane Ragsdale Jane Ragsdale, 68, devoted her life to the Heart O'the Hills Camp, a summer camp for girls in Texas Hill Country. She was a camper and counselor there herself in the 1970s before becoming a co-owner. By the 1980s, she was director of the camp in Hunt. 'She was the heart of The Heart,' the camp said in a statement. 'She was our guiding light, our example, and our safe place. She had the rare gift of making every person feel seen, loved, and important.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Since the camp was between sessions, no children were staying there when the floodwaters rose. The camp's facilities, directly in the path of the flood, were extensively damaged and access to the site remained difficult, according to camp officials. The camp has been in existence since the 1950s. Camp officials said Ragsdale would be remembered for her strength and wisdom. 'We are heartbroken. But above all, we are grateful,' the camp said. 'Grateful to have known her, to have learned from her, and to carry her light forward.' In a 2015 oral history for the Kerr County Historical Commission, Ragsdale, whose first name was Cynthie, but went by her middle name Jane, talked about how her father was also a camp director and how much she enjoyed her experiences. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'I loved every minute of camp from the first time I stepped foot in one,' she recalled. Videos of Ragsdale strumming a guitar and singing to campers during a recent session were posted in a memorial on the camp's Facebook page: 'Life is good today. So keep singing 'til we meet, again.' Sarah Marsh Eight-year-old Sarah Marsh from Alabama had been attending Camp Mystic in Texas, a longtime Christian girls camp in Hunt where several others were killed in the floods. As of Sunday, afternoon, 11 children were still missing. Marsh was a student at Cherokee Bend Elementary in suburban Birmingham. 'This is an unimaginable loss for her family, her school, and our entire community,' Mountain Brook Mayor Stewart Welch said in a Facebook post. 'Sarah's passing is a sorrow shared by all of us, and our hearts are with those who knew and loved her.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. He said the community — where about 20,000 people reside _ would rally behind the Marsh family as they grieved. Her parents declined an interview request Sunday 'as they mourn this unbearable loss,' the girl's grandmother, Debbie Ford Marsh, told The Associated Press in an email. 'We will always feel blessed to have had this beautiful spunky ray of light in our lives. She will live on in our hearts forever!' Marsh wrote on Facebook. 'We love you so much, sweet Sarah!' She declined further comment. U.S. Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama also noted the girl's tragic death. 'We continue to pray for the victims' loved ones, the survivors, those who are still missing, and our brave first responders as search and rescue efforts continue in Texas,' she said in a post on social media platform X. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Sisters Blair and Brooke Harber, both students at St. Rita Catholic School in Dallas, had been staying alongside the Guadalupe River when their cabin was swept away, according to the school. Pastor Joshua J. Whitfield of St. Rita Catholic Community, which shares a campus with the school, said the girls' parents, Annie and RJ Harber, were staying in a different cabin and were safe. However, their grandparents were unaccounted for. Annie Harber has been a longtime teacher at the school. 'This tragedy has touched every corner of our hearts,' the church said in a statement Sunday. Blair, who was enrolled in advanced classes, was involved in numerous school activities from volleyball and basketball to speech and drama. Brooke was a rising sixth grader and a student athlete in volleyball and lacrosse, among other sports. She also participated in speech and drama, according to the church. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Both were remembered for their kind hearts and warm personalities. 'We will honour Blair and Brooke's lives, the light they shared, and the joy they brought to everyone who knew them,' Whitfield wrote in a Saturday letter to parishioners. 'And we will surround Annie, RJ, and their extended family with the strength and support of our St. Rita community.' The church held a special prayer service Saturday afternoon and offered counseling. 'Please keep the Harber family in your prayers during this time of profound grief,' Whitfield wrote. 'May our faith, our love, and our St. Rita community be a source of strength and comfort in the days ahead.' Columnists Toronto Blue Jays Sunshine Girls World Canada
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Climate
- The Citizen
Children's camp confirms 27 dead, with Texas flood toll over 80
Flash floods in Texas claimed over 80 lives, including 27 girls and counselors at Camp Mystic. Rescue efforts continue. A volunteer looks for missing people, following severe flash flooding that occured during the July 4 holiday weekend, in Hunt, Texas, on July 6, 2025. Rescuers in Texas raced against time Sunday to find dozens of missing people, including children, swept away by flash floods that killed at least 59, as forecasters warned of new deluges. Local Texans joined forces with disaster officials to search through the night for the missing, including 27 girls from a riverside Christian summer camp. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said Camp Mystic on the banks of the Guadalupe River, where some 750 girls had been staying when the floodwaters hit, had been 'horrendously ravaged in ways unlike I've seen in any natural disaster.' (Photo by RONALDO SCHEMIDT / AFP) Rescuers in the US state of Texas on Monday searched for bodies swept away by flash floods that killed more than 80 people, including 27 girls and counselors at a summer camp. The nation was shocked at the disaster over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, and forecasters warned that thunderstorms threatened more flooding over saturated ground. 'Camp Mystic is grieving the loss of 27 campers and counselors following the catastrophic flooding,' the camp said in a statement. 'Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy.' US President Donald Trump said he may visit Texas later this week, but brushed off concerns his cuts to weather forecasting and related federal agencies had weakened warning systems. ALSO READ: These two provinces need R160 million to fix damaged healthcare facilities Instead, he described the floods in the early hours of Friday as a '100-year catastrophe' that 'nobody expected.' At least 40 adults and 28 children were killed in the worst-hit Kerr County in central Texas, Sheriff Larry Leitha said Sunday, while at least 13 more people were killed by flooding in nearby areas. The death toll is expected to rise. Grim search Trump, who previously said disaster relief should be handled at the state level, signed a major disaster declaration, activating fresh funds and freeing up resources. About 20 helicopters were taking part in the search for missing people in an area popular with campers that also hosted several summer camps for children. Camp Mystic, one of the worst-hit, was an all-girl Christian camp where about 750 people had been staying with the floodwaters struck. ALSO READ: Malema promises urgent aid for Mthatha flood victims, calls on the wealthy to help In a terrifying display of nature's power, the rain-swollen waters of the Guadalupe River reached treetops and the roofs of cabins as girls at the camp slept. Blankets, teddy bears and other belongings were caked in mud. Windows in the cabins were shattered, apparently by the force of the water. Texas Governor Greg Abbott warned that more heavy rainfall could bring further flooding in Kerrville and surrounding areas, as officials cautioned people against going near still-raging rivers. Months' worth of rain fell in a matter of hours on Thursday night into Friday, and rain has continued in bouts since then. The Guadalupe surged around 26 feet (eight meters) — more than a two-story building — in just 45 minutes. ALSO READ: WATCH: Bad weather and floods wreak havoc in Cape Town Flash floods, which occur when the ground is unable to absorb torrential rainfall, are not unusual in this region of south and central Texas, known colloquially as 'Flash Flood Alley.' Human-driven climate change has made extreme weather events such as floods, droughts and heat waves more frequent and more intense in recent years. 'There's debris all over the place that makes roads impassable, that makes reconstruction projects unachievable,' Abbott said. People from elsewhere in the state converged on Kerr County to help look for the missing. Some residents also flew personal drones to help look, but officials urged them to stop, citing a danger to rescue aircraft. NOW READ: Eastern Cape floods: Here's how much victims will be given to rebuild their homes – By: © Agence France-Presse
Toronto Sun
3 days ago
- Toronto Sun
Search for 27 missing girls plows forward after flash flood kills at least 51 people in Texas
Published Jul 06, 2025 • 4 minute read A volunteer looks for missing people, following severe flash flooding that occured during the July 4 holiday weekend, in Hunt, Texas, on July 6, 2025. Rescuers in Texas raced against time Sunday to find dozens of missing people, including children, swept away by flash floods that killed at least 59, as forecasters warned of new deluges. Local Texans joined forces with disaster officials to search through the night for the missing, including 27 girls from a riverside Christian summer camp. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said Camp Mystic on the banks of the Guadalupe River, where some 750 girls had been staying when the floodwaters hit, had been "horrendously ravaged in ways unlike I've seen in any natural disaster." Photo by RONALDO SCHEMIDT / AFP via Getty Images KERRVILLE, Texas (AP) — The gruelling, desperate search for 27 missing girls stretched into a third day on Sunday after raging floodwaters surged into a summer camp as rescuers maneuvered through challenging terrain, while Texans were asked to pray that any survivors would be found. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account At least 51 people, including 15 children, were killed, with most of the deaths coming in Kerr County in the state's Hill Country. Besides the 43 dead in Kerr County, four deaths were reported in Travis, three in Burnet and 1 in Kendall. Rescuers dealt with broken trees, overturned cars and muck-filled debris in a difficult task to find survivors. Authorities still have not said how many people were missing beyond the children from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County where most of the dead were recovered. With each passing hour, the outlook became more bleak. Volunteers and some families of the missing who drove to the disaster zone began searching the riverbanks despite being asked not to do so. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Authorities faced growing questions about whether enough warnings were issued in area long vulnerable to flooding and whether enough preparations were made. The destructive, fast-moving waters rose 26 feet (8 meters) on the river in only 45 minutes before daybreak Friday, washing away homes and vehicles. The danger was not over as flash flood watches remained in effect and more rain fell in central Texas on Sunday. Searchers used helicopters, boats and drones to look for victims and to rescue people stranded in trees and from camps isolated by washed-out roads. Officials said more than 850 people were rescued in the first 36 hours. Trucks drive through a flooded and damaged road in Hunt, Texas, on July 6, 2025, following severe flash flooding that occured during the July 4 holiday weekend. (Photo by RONALDO SCHEMIDT / AFP) Photo by RONALDO SCHEMIDT / AFP via Getty Images A day of prayers in Texas Gov. Greg Abbott vowed that authorities will work around the clock and said new areas were being searched as the water receded. He declared Sunday a day of prayer for the state. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'I urge every Texan to join me in prayer this Sunday — for the lives lost, for those still missing, for the recovery of our communities, and for the safety of those on the front lines,' he said in a statement. In Rome, Pope Leo XIV offered special prayers for those touched by the disaster. History's first American pope spoke in English at the end of his Sunday noon blessing, 'I would like to express sincere condolences to all the families who have lost loved ones, in particular their daughters who were in summer camp, in the disaster caused by the flooding of the Guadalupe River in Texas in the United States. We pray for them.' The hills along the Guadalupe River are dotted with century-old youth camps and campgrounds where generations of families have come to swim and enjoy the outdoors. The area is especially popular around the Independence Day holiday, making it more difficult to know how many are missing. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'We don't even want to begin to estimate at this time,' Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said on Saturday. Harrowing escapes from floodwaters Survivors shared terrifying stories of being swept away and clinging to trees as rampaging floodwaters carried trees and cars past them. Others fled to attics inside their homes, praying the water wouldn't reach them. At Camp Mystic, a cabin full of girls held onto a rope strung by rescuers as they walked across a bridge with water whipping around their legs. Among those confirmed dead were an 8-year-old girl from Mountain Brook, Alabama, who was at Camp Mystic, and the director of another camp up the road. Locals know the area as ' flash flood alley' but the flooding in the middle of the night caught many campers and residents by surprise even though there were warnings. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The National Weather Service on Thursday advised of potential flooding and then sent out a series of flash flood warnings in the early hours of Friday before issuing flash flood emergencies — a rare alert notifying of imminent danger. At the Mo-Ranch Camp in the community of Hunt, officials had been monitoring the weather and opted to move several hundred campers and attendees at a church youth conference to higher ground. At nearby Camps Rio Vista and Sierra Vista, organizers also had mentioned on social media that they were watching the weather the day before ending their second summer session Thursday. Authorities and elected officials have said they did not expect such an intense downpour, the equivalent of months' worth of rain for the area. U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, whose district includes the ravaged area, acknowledged that there would be second-guessing and finger-pointing as people look for someone to blame. Read More Toronto Maple Leafs Sunshine Girls Toronto & GTA Crime Toronto Blue Jays
Newsweek
4 days ago
- Climate
- Newsweek
Flash Flood Threat in Place for Central Texas: What We Know
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Numerous flood warnings are active in Texas following devastating floods that have killed dozens. Why It Matters Major flash floods in Texas have already claimed the lives of 51 people, including 15 children, with 27 children still missing from Camp Mystic, a Christian all-girls camp in Kerr County. Fast-moving floodwaters surged 26 feet (8 meters) along the Guadalupe River in just 45 minutes before dawn on Friday, sweeping away homes and vehicles. A member of the public stands next to overturned vehicles and damaged trees after a flash flood in Kerrville, Texas, on July 5, 2025. A member of the public stands next to overturned vehicles and damaged trees after a flash flood in Kerrville, Texas, on July 5, 2025. RONALDO SCHEMIDT / AFP/GETTY What To Know The National Weather Service (NWS) has activated several flood warnings across Texas, many of which are expected to last until at least Monday morning. The following counties and areas in Texas currently have a flood warning in place: Guadalupe River near Bloomington affecting Victoria, Refugio and Calhoun counties. Calhoun counties. Neches River near Diboll, affecting Angelina, Polk and Trinity counties. Rio Grande, Big Bend National Park, affecting Brewster County. Guadalupe River near Bloomington affecting Victoria, Refugio and Calhoun counties. Calhoun counties. Colorado River near San Saba affecting Lampasas and San Saba counties. counties. Leon River at Gatesville affecting Coryell County. Sabine River near Deweyville, Newton County. A map from the NWS showing the counties with flood warnings and watches in place. Dark green denotes flood watch, while bright green denotes flood warning. A map from the NWS showing the counties with flood warnings and watches in place. Dark green denotes flood watch, while bright green denotes flood warning. NWS In the event of a flood warning, residents are urged to seek out higher ground, avoid flood waters and keep up with the latest information for their area. The are advised to never attempt to drive through flooded areas as most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Flood watches and advisories are also active throughout central Texas. Accuweather has reported "rain should lessen on Sunday though it will still be in the greater region, largely north or east of the hardest hit flood areas." The NWS has reported that some storms "may redevelop by as early as Sunday morning and last into the day Sunday," and that flash flooding risks remain for "areas that have already been hard hit from the prior days rainfall." Drier weather is expected heading into Monday. What People Are Saying Texas Governor Greg Abbott said: "I urge every Texan to join me in prayer this Sunday — for the lives lost, for those still missing, for the recovery of our communities, and for the safety of those on the front lines." Kristina Dahl, vice president for science at Climate Central, a non-profit, independent science organization, told CNN: "As our climate warms, the atmosphere can hold more moisture, which makes it more likely to experience extreme rains like this that are occurring in these short periods of time. Obviously the loss of life here really indicates how unprepared we are as a nation for disasters of this scale, let alone the scale that's to come with continued warming of our planet." Elinor Lester, 13, who was at Camp Mystic, told The Associated Press: "The camp was completely destroyed. A helicopter landed and started taking people away. It was really scary." What's Next Authorities are continuing the search for flood survivors. Governor Greg Abbott has vowed that authorities will continue to work around the clock, writing on X, formerly Twitter, that "we won't stop until we find every girl who was in those cabins."
