Swept 32 km by Texas floods: Woman survives four dams and floating debris; rescued clinging to tree
In a dramatic turn of events, a young woman was rescued after being swept nearly 32 km down the Guadalupe river and becoming trapped in a tree, following the devastating floods that struck parts of Texas, US, during 4th of July celebrations.
According to KEN5S, the 22-year-old woman was discovered clinging desperately to the branches of a Cypress tree, several feet above the ground, as powerful floodwaters surged beneath her.
The floods, which have claimed at least 27 lives so far, have also left dozens of young girls missing, prompting large-scale rescue and recovery operations.
A homeowner in Center Point heard the woman's cries for help and rushed to assist her, just in time.
One of the tree branches had already broken off, and another was beginning to weaken when he spotted her.
'I hear you, I see you,' the homeowner told the woman, as reported by the local television station.
The man, whose identity was not disclosed, tried calling 911 but got no response, as the emergency hotline was overwhelmed due to the flooding.
Instead, the man ran out to the street and flagged down first responders who were carrying out ongoing search and rescue operations.
Rescue crews deployed boats to locate the woman, who had been stuck in the tree for several hours.
By the time they reached her, the water level had receded by nearly 10 feet, leaving her no choice but to make a leap of faith from the tree into the rescue boat.
The woman, whose identity has not been released, miraculously escaped with only minor scrapes and bruises, a remarkable outcome given that she was swept across four dams and narrowly avoided being hit by floating debris, including refrigerators and cars.
She had been camping with her parents and other family members at a campground in Ingram when the rising river pulled her from her tent, according to KEN5S
Her family attempted to flee in a vehicle, but it too was swept away by the powerful floodwaters.
It remains unclear whether the woman's family survived the flooding.
So far, at least 25 people have been confirmed dead in the disaster, with dozens still reported missing.
Among the confirmed fatalities are at least two young campers from Camp Mystic, a Christian sleepaway camp for girls aged between 7 and 17.
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