Latest news with #RichardEastland
Fox News
17-07-2025
- Climate
- Fox News
New questions raised about whether Camp Mystic director saw flood warning alert
As authorities try to piece together what happened during the deadly flooding at Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas, new questions are emerging about how the camp owner tracked the storm and whether he saw the emergency alert. Richard "Dick" Eastland reportedly began taking action after more than two inches of rain fell along the Guadalupe River, according to the Associated Press, which cited Jeff Carr, a spokesperson for the family and the camp. Carr said Eastland had a "home weather station" and was monitoring the rainfall on July 4, the Associated Press reported. Despite portraying to the media that Eastland got the weather alerts about the flash flood, Carr told the Associated Press that no one in the family or camp staff could say whether the camp owner got the alert at 1:14 a.m., making the timeline of the tragedy murky. At 1:14 a.m. on July 4, the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for Kerr County, sending alerts to broadcast outlets, weather radios and cell phones. The warning was escalated to a flash flood emergency just under three hours later at 4:03 a.m. This apparent shift in narrative by Carr comes after some criticized Eastland for waiting to evacuate campers. The Washington Post reported on Monday, citing Carr, that the camp owner waited until 2:30 a.m. to begin evacuating campers, more than an hour after the initial alert went out. This prompted criticism over the camp's evacuation procedures. However, Carr pushed back on those raising concerns. Carr blamed communication failures, saying that cell phone service at Camp Mystic is spotty even in clear weather. "Communication was a huge deficiency," Carr told the Associated Press. "This community was hamstrung, nobody could communicate. The first responder, the first rescue personnel that showed up was a game warden." Carr told the Associated Press that Eastland and others began evacuating girls from the cabins closest to the overflowing river and moved them to the camp's recreation hall. The flooding at Camp Mystic killed 27 campers and counselors. At least 132 people died in the central Texas flooding and dozens remain missing in the Kerrville area.
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Camp Mystic leader may not have seen urgent alert before Texas flood
The leader of Camp Mystic had been tracking the weather before the deadly Texas floods, but it is now unclear whether he saw an urgent warning from the National Weather Service that had triggered an emergency alert to phones in the area, a spokesman for camp's operators said Wednesday. Richard 'Dick' Eastland, the owner of Camp Mystic, began taking action after more than 2 inches of rain had fallen in the area along the Guadalupe River, said Jeff Carr, a spokesman for the family and the camp. He said Eastland had a 'home weather station' and was monitoring the rain on July 4. But after initially portraying to the media this week that Eastland got the weather alerts about a flash flood, Carr told The Associated Press that critical moment in the timeline of the tragedy isn't as clear as the family and staff first thought. No one in the family or camp staff, Carr said, could now say whether Eastland got the alert at 1:14 a.m. 'It was assumed that just because he had a cellphone on and shortly after that alert, he was calling his family on the walkie-talkies saying, 'Hey, we got two inches in the last hour. We need to get the canoes up. We got things to do,' ' Carr said. The new account by the family comes as Camp Mystic staff has come under scrutiny of their actions, what preventive measures were taken and the camp's emergency plan leading up to a during the catastrophic flood that has killed at least 132 people. The flash-flood warning that the National Weather Service issued at 1:14 a.m. on July 4 for Kerr County triggered an emergency alerts to broadcast outlets, weather radios and mobile phones. It warned of 'a dangerous and life-threatening situation.' The weather service extended the warning at 3:35 a.m. and escalated it to flash-flood emergency at 4:03 a.m. Eastland died while trying to rescue girls and was found in his Tahoe that was swept away by the floodwaters, Carr said. Even without a storm, the cellphone coverage at Camp Mystic is spotty at best, so campers and staff turn on their Wi-Fi, Carr said. He called ridiculous criticism that Eastland waited too long before beginning to evacuate the campers, which he said appears to have begun sometime between 2 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. 'Communication was a huge deficiency,' Carr said. 'This community was hamstrung, nobody could communicate. The first responder, the first rescue personnel that showed up was a game warden.' According to Carr, Eastland and others started evacuating girls from cabins nearest the overflowing river and moved them to the camp's two-story recreation hall. Of the 10 cabins closest to the river, the recreation hall is the furthest at 865 feet with the closest cabin about 315 feet, according to an Associated Press analysis of aerial imagery. To reach Senior Hill, which was on higher ground, they would have had to cross an overflowing creek, Carr said. At times the young campers were climbing hills in bare feet, he said. Some of the camp's buildings — which flooded — were in what the Federal Emergency Management Agency considered a 100-year flood plain. But in response to an appeal, FEMA in 2013 amended the county's flood map to remove 15 of the camp's buildings from the hazard area. Carr said there were 'legitimate' reasons for filing appeals and suggested that the maps may not always be accurate. Just before daybreak on the Fourth of July, destructive, fast-moving waters rose 26 feet on the Guadalupe River, washing away homes and vehicles. Crews in helicopters, boats and drones have been searching for victims. Officials say 97 people in the Kerrville area may still be missing.
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Camp Mystic leader may not have seen urgent alert before Texas flood, family spokesman says
The leader of Camp Mystic had been tracking the weather before the deadly Texas floods, but it is now unclear whether he saw an urgent warning from the National Weather Service that had triggered an emergency alert to phones in the area, a spokesman for camp's operators said Wednesday. Richard 'Dick' Eastland, the owner of Camp Mystic, began taking action after more than 2 inches of rain had fallen in the area along the Guadalupe River, said Jeff Carr, a spokesman for the family and the camp. He said Eastland had a 'home weather station' and was monitoring the rain on July 4. But after initially portraying to the media this week that Eastland got the weather alerts about a flash flood, Carr told The Associated Press that critical moment in the timeline of the tragedy isn't as clear as the family and staff first thought. No one in the family or camp staff, Carr said, could now say whether Eastland got the alert at 1:14 a.m. 'It was assumed that just because he had a cellphone on and shortly after that alert, he was calling his family on the walkie-talkies saying, 'Hey, we got two inches in the last hour. We need to get the canoes up. We got things to do,' ' Carr said. The new account by the family comes as Camp Mystic staff has come under scrutiny of their actions, what preventive measures were taken and the camp's emergency plan leading up to a during the catastrophic flood that has killed at least 132 people. The flash-flood warning that the National Weather Service issued at 1:14 a.m. on July 4 for Kerr County triggered an emergency alerts to broadcast outlets, weather radios and mobile phones. It warned of 'a dangerous and life-threatening situation.' The weather service extended the warning at 3:35 a.m. and escalated it to flash-flood emergency at 4:03 a.m. Eastland died while trying to rescue girls and was found in his Tahoe that was swept away by the floodwaters, Carr said. Even without a storm, the cellphone coverage at Camp Mystic is spotty at best, so campers and staff turn on their Wi-Fi, Carr said. He called ridiculous criticism that Eastland waited too long before beginning to evacuate the campers, which he said appears to have begun sometime between 2 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. 'Communication was a huge deficiency,' Carr said. "This community was hamstrung, nobody could communicate. The first responder, the first rescue personnel that showed up was a game warden.' According to Carr, Eastland and others started evacuating girls from cabins nearest the overflowing river and moved them to the camp's two-story recreation hall. Of the 10 cabins closest to the river, the recreation hall is the furthest at 865 feet (264 meters) with the closest cabin about 315 feet (96 meters), according to an Associated Press analysis of aerial imagery. To reach Senior Hill, which was on higher ground , they would have had to cross an overflowing creek, Carr said. At times the young campers were climbing hills in bare feet, he said. Some of the camp's buildings — which flooded — were in what the Federal Emergency Management Agency considered a 100-year flood plain. But in response to an appeal, FEMA in 2013 amended the county's flood map to remove 15 of the camp's buildings from the hazard area. Carr said there were 'legitimate' reasons for filing appeals and suggested that the maps may not always be accurate. Just before daybreak on the Fourth of July, destructive, fast-moving waters rose 26 feet (8 meters) on the Guadalupe River, washing away homes and vehicles. Crews in helicopters, boats and drones have been searching for victims. Officials say 97 people in the Kerrville area may still be missing. ___ Associated Press writer Christopher Keller contributed to this report from Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The Independent
17-07-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
Camp Mystic leader may not have seen urgent alert before Texas flood, family spokesman says
The leader of Camp Mystic had been tracking the weather before the deadly Texas floods, but it is now unclear whether he saw an urgent warning from the National Weather Service that had triggered an emergency alert to phones in the area, a spokesman for camp's operators said Wednesday. Richard 'Dick' Eastland, the owner of Camp Mystic, began taking action after more than 2 inches of rain had fallen in the area along the Guadalupe River, said Jeff Carr, a spokesman for the family and the camp. He said Eastland had a 'home weather station' and was monitoring the rain on July 4. But after initially portraying to the media this week that Eastland got the weather alerts about a flash flood, Carr told The Associated Press that critical moment in the timeline of the tragedy isn't as clear as the family and staff first thought. No one in the family or camp staff, Carr said, could now say whether Eastland got the alert at 1:14 a.m. 'It was assumed that just because he had a cellphone on and shortly after that alert, he was calling his family on the walkie-talkies saying, 'Hey, we got two inches in the last hour. We need to get the canoes up. We got things to do,' ' Carr said. The new account by the family comes as Camp Mystic staff has come under scrutiny of their actions, what preventive measures were taken and the camp's emergency plan leading up to a during the catastrophic flood that has killed at least 132 people. The flash-flood warning that the National Weather Service issued at 1:14 a.m. on July 4 for Kerr County triggered an emergency alerts to broadcast outlets, weather radios and mobile phones. It warned of 'a dangerous and life-threatening situation.' The weather service extended the warning at 3:35 a.m. and escalated it to flash-flood emergency at 4:03 a.m. Eastland died while trying to rescue girls and was found in his Tahoe that was swept away by the floodwaters, Carr said. Even without a storm, the cellphone coverage at Camp Mystic is spotty at best, so campers and staff turn on their Wi-Fi, Carr said. He called ridiculous criticism that Eastland waited too long before beginning to evacuate the campers, which he said appears to have begun sometime between 2 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. 'Communication was a huge deficiency,' Carr said. "This community was hamstrung, nobody could communicate. The first responder, the first rescue personnel that showed up was a game warden.' According to Carr, Eastland and others started evacuating girls from cabins nearest the overflowing river and moved them to the camp's two-story recreation hall. Of the 10 cabins closest to the river, the recreation hall is the furthest at 865 feet (264 meters) with the closest cabin about 315 feet (96 meters), according to an Associated Press analysis of aerial imagery. To reach Senior Hill, which was on higher ground , they would have had to cross an overflowing creek, Carr said. At times the young campers were climbing hills in bare feet, he said. Some of the camp's buildings — which flooded — were in what the Federal Emergency Management Agency considered a 100-year flood plain. But in response to an appeal, FEMA in 2013 amended the county's flood map to remove 15 of the camp's buildings from the hazard area. Carr said there were 'legitimate' reasons for filing appeals and suggested that the maps may not always be accurate. Just before daybreak on the Fourth of July, destructive, fast-moving waters rose 26 feet (8 meters) on the Guadalupe River, washing away homes and vehicles. Crews in helicopters, boats and drones have been searching for victims. Officials say 97 people in the Kerrville area may still be missing. ___
Washington Post
17-07-2025
- Climate
- Washington Post
Camp Mystic leader may not have seen urgent alert before Texas flood, family spokesman says
The leader of Camp Mystic had been tracking the weather before the deadly Texas floods , but it is now unclear whether he saw an urgent warning from the National Weather Service that had triggered an emergency alert to phones in the area, a spokesman for camp's operators said Wednesday. Richard 'Dick' Eastland, the owner of Camp Mystic, began taking action after more than 2 inches of rain had fallen in the area along the Guadalupe River, said Jeff Carr, a spokesman for the family and the camp. He said Eastland had a 'home weather station' and was monitoring the rain on July 4. But after initially portraying to the media this week that Eastland got the weather alerts about a flash flood, Carr told The Associated Press that critical moment in the timeline of the tragedy isn't as clear as the family and staff first thought. No one in the family or camp staff, Carr said, could now say whether Eastland got the alert at 1:14 a.m. 'It was assumed that just because he had a cellphone on and shortly after that alert, he was calling his family on the walkie-talkies saying, 'Hey, we got two inches in the last hour. We need to get the canoes up. We got things to do,' ' Carr said. The new account by the family comes as Camp Mystic staff has come under scrutiny of their actions, what preventive measures were taken and the camp's emergency plan leading up to a during the catastrophic flood that has killed at least 132 people. The flash-flood warning that the National Weather Service issued at 1:14 a.m. on July 4 for Kerr County triggered an emergency alerts to broadcast outlets, weather radios and mobile phones. It warned of 'a dangerous and life-threatening situation.' The weather service extended the warning at 3:35 a.m. and escalated it to flash-flood emergency at 4:03 a.m. Eastland died while trying to rescue girls and was found in his Tahoe that was swept away by the floodwaters, Carr said. Even without a storm, the cellphone coverage at Camp Mystic is spotty at best, so campers and staff turn on their Wi-Fi, Carr said. He called ridiculous criticism that Eastland waited too long before beginning to evacuate the campers, which he said appears to have begun sometime between 2 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. 'Communication was a huge deficiency,' Carr said. 'This community was hamstrung, nobody could communicate. The first responder, the first rescue personnel that showed up was a game warden.' According to Carr, Eastland and others started evacuating girls from cabins nearest the overflowing river and moved them to the camp's two-story recreation hall. Of the 10 cabins closest to the river, the recreation hall is the furthest at 865 feet (264 meters) with the closest cabin about 315 feet (96 meters), according to an Associated Press analysis of aerial imagery. To reach Senior Hill, which was on higher ground , they would have had to cross an overflowing creek, Carr said. At times the young campers were climbing hills in bare feet, he said. Some of the camp's buildings — which flooded — were in what the Federal Emergency Management Agency considered a 100-year flood plain. But in response to an appeal, FEMA in 2013 amended the county's flood map to remove 15 of the camp's buildings from the hazard area . Carr said there were 'legitimate' reasons for filing appeals and suggested that the maps may not always be accurate. Just before daybreak on the Fourth of July, destructive, fast-moving waters rose 26 feet (8 meters) on the Guadalupe River, washing away homes and vehicles. Crews in helicopters, boats and drones have been searching for victims. Officials say 97 people in the Kerrville area may still be missing. ___ Associated Press writer Christopher Keller contributed to this report from Albuquerque, New Mexico.
