Flash floods tore homes from their foundations and killed at least 70 people in central Texas. On Sunday, families combed through soaked rubble and went inside vacant cabins at Camp Mystic, an all-girls summer camp.
Eleven campers and a counselor were among those who went missing as rescuers frantically sought them out, navigating difficult terrain. The number of missing persons in the Texas Hill Country and beyond is still unknown; despite the storm’s continued battering on the state for three days, officials still have not provided an estimate.
According to Sheriff Larry Leitha, the number of casualties in Kerr County, which is home to youth camps like Camp Mystic, has increased to 59, with 21 children among them, after searches discovered 16 more deaths since Saturday afternoon.
“Until “everyone is located” after Friday’s flash floods, he vowed to continue seeking. Additionally, three people died in Burnet County, two in Kendall, four in Travis County, and one in Tom Green and Williamson counties.
The camp opened its gates to families on Sunday morning for a tour. A little girl emerged from a building laden with a heavy bell. As he strolled along the riverbed, peering into tree clumps and behind large boulders, a guy informed us that his daughter had been rescued from a cabin situated on the camp’s highest point.
Wearing rubber waders, a teenage girl and a lady entered one of the cabins for a moment. The cabin was situated by a heap of wet mattresses, a trunk for storage, and clothing. The two fell to their knees and sobbed before finally embracing.
On their way out, one family took a blue footlocker. As they slowly drove away, a teenage girl looked out the open window, tears streaming down her face, at the destruction.
Nearby teams using heavy machinery combed the river, retrieving tree trunks and tangled branches as the families witnessed the destruction for the first time.
Finding more survivors seemed an increasingly remote possibility as the hours ticked by. Despite warnings not to, volunteers and relatives of the missing who had driven to the disaster area continued to explore the riverbanks.
In a region that had been prone to floods for a long time, authorities were beginning to face mounting doubts over the adequacy of the warnings and precautions.
On Sunday, President Trump activated the Federal Emergency Management Agency in Texas by signing a major disaster designation for Kerr County. In a social media tweet, Trump expressed his sympathies with the families affected by the tragic loss of life and the disappearance of others.
In the forty-five minutes leading up to Friday morning, the river’s devastating, swift-moving waters climbed twenty-six feet, or eight meters, sweeping away houses and cars. More rain poured in central Texas on Sunday, and flash flood watches were still in force, so the threat was still there.
Rescue workers rescued individuals trapped in trees and in camps cut off by washed-out highways, and they utilized helicopters, boats, and drones to scour the area for sufferers. Within the first 36 hours, almost 850 individuals were rescued, according to officials.
Thoughts and Praises in Texas and the Vatican
Authorities will work around the clock, according to Gov. Greg Abbott, who also mentioned that additional places are being checked as the water recedes. As a statutory holiday, he proclamated Sunday as a day of devotion.
The governor issued a statement urging all Texans to join him in prayer this coming Sunday for the victims, the missing, the restoration of our towns, and the protection of the combatants.
Pope Leo XIV, who was in Rome at the time, prayed especially for the victims of the tragedy. After concluding his Sunday noon blessing, the first American pope ever spoke in English and offered his deepest condolences to the families who had lost loved ones in the Guadalupe River flood disaster in Texas, USA. He specifically mentioned the girls who had been at summer camp. Theirs is our prayer.
Countless families have flocked to the youth camps and campers dotting the hillsides around the Guadalupe River for swimming and outdoor recreation for years. It is more difficult to determine the exact number of missing people over the Independence Day vacation because the location is quite busy during that time.
Tragic rescues from floods
Horrifying accounts of being swept away and clinging to branches as cars and trees were whisked past by the raging floodwaters were relayed by survivors. Some others hoped the water wouldn’t get to them, so they hid in their homes’ attics.
As they crossed a bridge at Camp Mystic, a group of girls clung to a rope that had been stretched by rescuers as the water whipped around their legs.
A director of a nearby camp and an 8-year-old child from Mountain Brook, Alabama were among the confirmed victims. Both camps were located at Camp Mystic.
After their cottage was swept away, two Dallas school-aged sisters went missing. Even though the children’ parents were sleeping in another cabin and were safe, their grandparents were nowhere to be seen.
The Hill Country is famously known as “flash flood alley” among locals, yet the overnight floods nevertheless managed to catch many homeowners and campers off guard, despite the numerous warnings.
Warnings were sent before to the tragedy.
On Thursday, the National Weather Service warned of possible flooding. In the early hours of Friday, they issued multiple flash flood warnings. Finally, they issued a flash flood emergency alert, which is a rare notice that warns of immediate risk.
Authorities at Hunt’s Mo-Ranch Camp had been keeping an eye on the forecast and decided to relocate hundreds of campers and youth conference goers to higher ground. The day before Thursday’s second summer session ended, officials at neighboring Camps Rio Vista and Sierra Vista similarly stated on social media that they were watching the weather.
This precipitation was the equivalent of months’ worth of rain for the area, and authorities and elected officials have stated that they were not expecting it.
Representative Chip Roy (R-CA), whose district encompasses the devastated area, predicted that, in the aftermath of the disaster, people will question authority and point fingers.