At least 13 people confirmed dead and more than 20 missing from girls camp in Texas flooding
Officials have also said more than 20 are missing from a girls' camp in Texas.
As much as 10 inches (25 centimetres) of heavy rain fell in just a few hours overnight in central Kerr County, causing flash flooding of the Guadalupe River.
Judge Rob Kelly, the chief elected official in the county, confirmed fatalities from the flooding and dozens of water rescues so far.
A flood watch issued on Thursday afternoon estimated isolated amounts up to seven inches (17 centimetres) of rising water.
Please refresh the page for the latest version.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
16 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Family reveals desperate final words of brave Texas father who died saving kids and fiancée from floods
The family of a Texas father who died while rescuing his loved ones from sudden flash flooding in Texas shared his final, heartbreaking words: 'I'm sorry, I'm not going to make it. I love y'all.' Julian Ryan, 27, died early Friday morning, July 4, after fast-moving floodwaters from the Guadalupe River - which surged over 30 feet above its normal height - swept into his family's home in Ingram. The flooding, triggered by heavy rains overnight, left little time for families along the river to react. Ryan's fiancée, Christinia Wilson, said the water surged into their home so quickly that it reached knee-level in just 20 minutes. '[Water] just started pouring in, we had to fight the door to get it closed tried to hold the door closed, just so that too much didn't come in,' she told KHOU. 'We ran back into the room and we started calling 911 but it just kept coming. We had no choice but to get out.' In a final act of heroism, Ryan punched through a window to help his fiancée, their children and his mother escape to the roof. But, the glass tore through his arm, severing an artery and nearly detaching the limb. 'It almost cut it clean off,' Wilson said of her loved one's catastrophic injury. Despite the severe injury, Ryan stayed focused on getting his family out safely. But with emergency responders unable to reach them in time, the father of two succumbed to his wounds hours later. 'About six o'clock my husband was dead. He had lost all of it... all of his blood,' she said. Holding back tears, Wilson recalled her fiancé's harrowing final moments. 'He looked at me, the kids, and his mother and said, "I'm sorry, I'm not going to make it. I love y'all,"' she said, adding that Ryan's body was recovered later that morning after the water receded. Loved ones say Ryan's bravery and selflessness will never be forgotten. 'He died a hero,' his sister, Connie Salas, said. 'That will never go unnoticed.' The heroic father's family is now mourning the loss of a man they describe as kind, funny and fiercely devoted to those he loved. 'He's the kindest person I've ever met in my life,' close friend Kris Roberts said. 'I'll forever love him no matter what.' As they grieve, Ryan's relatives are also calling for changes in flood preparedness. They believe earlier warnings - like flood sirens - could have saved lives. 'If we'd heard a siren, we would've left,' Wilson said. 'We had so many safe places to go.' A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family cover funeral expenses and recover from the loss. In a statement posted to the fundraiser, Ryan's relatives said his death has left 'an unfillable void.' 'Julian gave his life for his family, passing as a true hero,' the family wrote. 'While we are eternally grateful for his sacrifice, we are shattered by our loss. His sudden departure has left an unfillable void in all our lives. 'He was known to have an infectious laugh and unwavering kindness. He touched countless lives with his humor and will be deeply missed by everyone who had the privilege of knowing him,' the fundraising page reads. As of Saturday afternoon, the death toll has risen to 50, with 27 children from a summer camp situated along the river - Camp Mystic - still missing, according to CNN. Search and rescue efforts remain the top priority in central Texas, according to Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice, as crews continue to search for the missing along the Guadalupe River. 'We're really focused on life safety,' Rice said. 'Our primary focus is on the search and rescue of every single person involved, and we'll continue through the night to make sure that happens.' He noted that recovery operations were also underway Saturday, with authorities working to identify victims. 'We knew today was going to be that day, so our numbers are going to constantly be changing,' he said. 'We're in a marathon,' Rice added. 'And we've got to make sure we always keep that in mind - and look after each other.'
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Texas rancher fights back tears as he describes flooded town's 'unbelievable' devastation as death toll climbs to 50
A Texas rancher held back tears as he revealed the overwhelming destruction caused by a monstrous flash flood that swept through communities across the state on Friday. The resident of Hunt - whose family has called the area home for over a century -reflected on the many 'good times' he's experienced in the close-knit Southern town, now left in ruins by the extreme weather event that claimed at least 50 lives, including 15 children from a local summer camp. 'This very well may be the worst flood Hunt has ever seen,' he said. 'The devastation is unbelievable. How these kids survived, in any of these camps along the river, is nothing short of a miracle.' As of Saturday afternoon, the death toll has risen to 50, with 27 children from Camp Mystic - a summer camp situated along the Guadalupe River - still missing, CNN reported. Overcome with emotion, the proud Texan explained that he grew up in the area, with many of his best memories now reduced to debris. 'I grew up with this store,' he explained, standing in front of what was left of his property. 'I've danced here, I've been here. Sat by the fireplace in a rocking chair and drank a beer. The devastation… there are just no words that I can say that describe what I'm seeing.' He went on to describe how the water rose, leveling his beloved home. 'My ranch - it was completely underwater. The water got that high,' he said, shaking his head in utter disappointment. 'Just unbelievable,' he added. At least 50 people have died after the Guadalupe River surged 30 feet above its normal height, devastating children's summer camps and ripping apart families. Harrowing images have emerged showing the remains of the summer camp where at least three campers lost their lives after it was deluged by deadly flood waters. Dozens more people, including other campers, are still missing. Among those confirmed dead are 15 children, including the three young girls who were attending Camp Mystic. The girls' sodden beds and belongings were seen covered in river water following the decimation Renee Smajstrla, eight, Janie Hunt, nine, and Sarah Marsh all perished when Camp Mystic in Hunt was washed away by the flood waters. Among the other confirmed dead are: Jeff Ramsey and Jane Ragsdale, the director of Heart O' the Hills, another nearby summer camp. And 850 people have been rescued by authorities. Heartbreaking pictures show how the side of the summer camp has been completely wrenched away by the floods. Inside, the sodden beds and blankets of the campers can be seen covered in a thick sludge. Belongings such as bags and clothing are also seen strewn across the floor. Another build saw its roof sag over the ruined building and pieces of jagged wood splintered underneath it. Search and rescue efforts remain the top priority in central Texas, according to Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice, as crews continue to search for the missing along the Guadalupe River. 'We're really focused on life safety,' Rice said. 'Our primary focus is on the search and rescue of every single person involved, and we'll continue through the night to make sure that happens.' He noted that recovery operations were also underway Saturday, with authorities working to identify victims. 'We knew today was going to be that day, so our numbers are going to constantly be changing,' he said. 'We're in a marathon,' Rice added. 'And we've got to make sure we always keep that in mind - and look after each other.'
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Texas flood witness recalls furniture, trees and RVs swept down river
COMFORT, Texas, July 5 (Reuters) - Tonia Fucci, a Pennsylvania resident visiting her grandmother for the Independence Day weekend, woke early on Friday to the sound of heavy rain "coming down in buckets." Along with the rain, she heard something else - loud, startling cracking noises. "It's indescribable, the sounds, of how loud they were, which turned out to be ... the massive cypress trees that came down along the river," she told a Reuters reporter in an interview the next day. Flash floods in central Texas have killed at least 43 people, including 15 children, authorities said on Saturday as rescuers continued a frantic search for dozens more campers, vacationers and residents who were still missing. Hardest hit was Camp Mystic, a nearly century-old girls camp, where dozens of young girls were swept away in the flood waters, leaving many dead and many more still missing. Fucci, who was staying in Comfort on the banks of the overflowing Guadalupe River, filmed on her phone a torrent of muddy water flooding the road to her grandmother's house and two recreational vehicles in a parking lot, with their wheels submerged in water. Reuters verified the location of the video by matching buildings and vehicles to satellite imagery and confirmed the date by checking the metadata. "I'm still in shock today," Fucci told Reuters. She said she had little hope anyone would be found alive. "There's so many missing children and missing people. You just want them to be found for the sake of the families. But, you know, it's not going to be a good ending... There's no way people could have survived the swiftness of the water." Fucci said she had received National Weather alerts on her phone hours after the flood had already hit. The residents of the town had to rely on one another, as they ran to their neighbors to see who needed help before rescue teams arrived. "Something I've never seen before. You knew it was tragedy," Fucci said, recalling how quickly the river flooded the town. "It wasn't slowing, it wasn't slowing. And debris and furniture and RVs were coming down the river."
