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Sky News
37 minutes ago
- Sky News
At least 24 dead and more than 20 children missing from camp in Texas flooding
Why you can trust Sky News At least 24 people have been killed in the US state of Texas after heavy rain caused flash flooding, according to local media reports. Officials have also said 23 children 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. An official in the city of Kerville told reporters the flooding struck before dawn "over a very short period of time that could not be predicted, even with the radar". Judge Rob Kelly, the chief elected official in the county, confirmed fatalities from the flooding and dozens of water rescues so far. The judge told reporters at a news conference that "most" of the bodies are yet to be identified. "We're trying to get the identity of these folks, but we don't have it yet," he said. As of Friday night, emergency personnel had rescued or evacuated 237 people, including 167 by helicopter, according to Major General Thomas Suelzer, the adjutant general for the state of Texas. 1:13 More than 20 girls unaccounted for Emergency services are continuing a frantic search to find those missing - including 23 girls. The children were among more than 700 who were at a summer camp when floodwaters swept through at around 4am local time. Elinor Lester, 13, said she and her cabin mates were woken up by a raging storm at 1.30am and had to be helicoptered to safety. "The camp was completely destroyed," Elinor said, describing the situation as "really scary". Most of the campers are safe but they could not be immediately evacuated because high waters have made local roads unusable, authorities said. "Everybody is doing everything in their power to get these kids out," Judge Kelly said. "They could be in a tree. They could be out of communication," Lieutenant Gov. Dan Patrick said. "We're praying for all of those missing to be found alive. We're doing everything we can to get in there." Asked why more precautions were not taken amid forecasts for stormy weather, Judge Kelly insisted a disaster of such magnitude was unforeseen. "We have floods all the time. This is the most dangerous river valley in the United States," he said, adding, "We had no reason to believe this was going to be anything like what's happened here. None whatsoever." Later, US President Donald Trump told reporters on Air Force One that the floods were "terrible," adding: "We're working with the governor [Greg Abbott]." Search teams are flying 14 helicopters and a dozen drones over the area, while hundreds of emergency personnel are on the ground conducting rescues. People desperately searching for their loved ones have posted comments on a Facebook post from the Kerr County sheriff's office. One woman said she couldn't reach her daughter, who had rented a cabin with her husband and two children. She pleaded for officials to release the names of those who have been evacuated. A man in Kerrville told WOAI that his brother's house is missing after the flood, along with the brother, his wife and their two children. Officials said the death toll could change, as rescue operations for an unspecified total number of missing people are still ongoing, and authorities were still working to identify the dead. It was not clear whether anyone unaccounted for might have ended up among the deceased victims tallied countywide by the sheriff.
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
How to prepare for a hurricane, as forecasters expect a busy 2025 storm season
Hurricane season can be stressful for millions of Americans living in coastal areas, as powerful winds and heavy rain can cause widespread damage, cut power for days or weeks and otherwise upend people's lives. Forecasters are expecting another unusually busy season for the Atlantic, with predictions calling for six to 10 hurricanes, with up to half reaching major status. But the stress of hurricane season can be reduced if people have a plan for preparing their homes and for whether to stay and ride out a storm or evacuate, according to emergency management officials. That preparation, which includes putting together a kit of essential supplies, should begin long before a storm is approaching. 'Don't be complacent, take preparedness seriously, spend the time now to do the little things that will make a big difference for you and your loved ones when something does happen,' said Brian Mason, director of Houston's Office of Emergency Management. How to prepare a home for a storm Anything in the backyard that isn't tied down, such as furniture and barbecue grills, should be secured or brought inside so it doesn't become a flying projectile that can come through a window, said Shawn Schulze, regional CEO for the American Red Cross Texas Gulf Coast Region. If possible, board up windows and place important documents such as passports and birth certificates in a waterproof case or even a Ziploc bag, Schulze said. That will prevent damage and make documents easier to locate in a quick evacuation. Mason recommends that homeowners get their roofs inspected before each hurricane season and know how to turn off their utilities in case of damage. Well before a storm is brewing, people should trim or remove dead or weakened tree limbs and shrubs that hang over their homes to lessen potential damage from high winds, said Mistie Hinote, a spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Insurance. Hinote also urged people to review what type of insurance coverage they have and to make a home inventory of their possessions by taking photos of them in case an insurance claim needs to be made after a storm. 'It is a lot of information and a lot of pre-storm steps but a little at a time,' Hinote said. Have an emergency kit Every family should have an emergency kit with supplies to meet its basic needs. For people who stay, a kit should include at least 1 gallon (3.8 liters) of water per day per person, with enough for up to seven days, Mason said. One way to have enough water is to fill a bathtub. People should also have enough nonperishable food for up to seven days, as well as flashlights, batteries, candles, medications, portable power banks or other power sources, and a radio that runs on batteries. Pets should be included in preparations, including bringing them inside ahead of a storm, and having enough food, water and necessary medications for up to seven days, Mason said. Parents should also include something to entertain their kids, such as games or coloring books, because likely power outages after a hurricane mean there won't be internet and cellular service, and there's 'nothing's more challenging for a family than kids that are bouncing off the walls because they're bored,' Mason said. 'If you decide to stay, you need to make sure that you can be self-sufficient for days to weeks, depending on how long it takes for power to be restored,' Mason said. Have an evacuation plan If people decide to leave ahead of a storm, they should also prepare an emergency kit with enough supplies to get to their destination, officials said. Before a storm arrives, people should know their evacuation routes are and have backup routes in case roads get congested, Mason said. Officials recommend fueling vehicles if a storm is approaching. People with electric vehicles should make sure their routes have charging stations along the way, he said. Schulze said it's natural for people to be afraid when a hurricane is coming, but having a plan in place and letting loved ones know you're prepared will go a long way to easing fears. 'Think about what the worst could be and prepare for that and you'll always be ready for what comes your way,' Schulze said. ___ Follow Juan A. Lozano:
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Desperate search for missing girls from summer camp after Texas floods kill at least 24
At least 24 people were killed and a frantic search continued overnight for many others missing in the Texas Hill Country, including more than 20 from a girls camp, after a storm unleashed nearly a foot of rain and sent floodwaters spilling out of the Guadalupe River. The destructive force of the fast-rising waters just before dawn Friday washed out homes and swept away vehicles. There were hundreds of rescues around Kerr County, including at least 167 by helicopter, authorities said. The total number of missing was not known but the sheriff said between 23 and 25 of them were girls who had been attending Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along the river. On social media, parents and families posted desperate pleas for information about loved ones caught in the flood zone. 'The camp was completely destroyed,' said Elinor Lester, 13, one of hundreds of campers at Camp Mystic. 'A helicopter landed and started taking people away. It was really scary.' She said a raging storm woke up her cabin around 1:30 a.m. Friday, and when rescuers arrived, they tied a rope for the girls to hold as the children in her cabin walked across bridge with floodwaters whipping around the calves and knees. The flooding in the middle of the night on the Fourth of July holiday caught many residents, campers and officials by surprise. Officials defended their preparations for severe weather and their response but said they had not expected such an intense downpour that was, in effect, the equivalent of months' worth of rain for the area. One National Weather Service forecast this week had called for only between three and six inches (76 to 152 millimeters) of rain, said Nim Kidd, the chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management. 'It did not predict the amount of rain that we saw,' he said. At a news conference late Friday Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said 24 people had been confirmed killed. Authorities said 237 people had been recued so far. Pleading for information after flash flood A river gauge at Hunt recorded a 22 foot rise (6.7 meters) in about two hours, according to Bob Fogarty, meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Austin/San Antonio office. The gauge failed after recording a level of 29 and a half feet (9 meters). 'The water's moving so fast, you're not going to recognize how bad it is until it's on top of you,' Fogarty said. On the Kerr County sheriff's office Facebook page, people posted pictures of loved ones and begged for help finding them. At least 400 people were on the ground helping in the response, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said. Nine rescue teams, 14 helicopters and 12 drones were being used, with some people being rescued from trees. 'Pitch black wall of death' In Ingram, Erin Burgess woke to thunder and rain at 3:30 a.m. Just 20 minutes later, water was pouring into her home directly across from the river, she said. She described an agonizing hour clinging to a tree and waiting for the water to recede enough so they could walk up the hill to a neighbor's home. 'My son and I floated to a tree where we hung onto it, and my boyfriend and my dog floated away. He was lost for a while, but we found them,' she said. Of her 19-year-old son, Burgess said: 'Thankfully he's over 6 feet tall. That's the only thing that saved me, was hanging on to him.' Matthew Stone, 44, of Kerrville, said police came knocking on doors at 5:30 a.m. but that he had received no warning on his phone. 'We got no emergency alert. There was nothing," Stone said. Then "a pitch black wall of death.' 'I was scared to death' At a reunification center set up in Ingram, families cried and cheered as loved ones got off vehicles loaded with evacuees. Two soldiers carried an older woman who could not get down a ladder. Behind her, a woman in a soiled T-shirt and shorts clutched a small white dog. Later, a girl in a white 'Camp Mystic' T-shirt and white socks stood in a puddle, sobbing in her mother's arms. Barry Adelman, 54, said water pushed everyone in his three-story house into the attic, including his 94-year-old grandmother and 9-year-old grandson. The water started coming through the attic floor before finally receding. 'I was horrified,' he said. 'I was having to look at my grandson in the face and tell him everything was going to be OK, but inside I was scared to death.' 'No one knew this kind of flood was coming' The forecast had called for rain, with a flood watch upgraded to a warning overnight for at least 30,000 people. But totals in some places exceeded expectations, Fogarty said. Patrick noted that the potential for heavy rain and flooding covered a large area. 'Everything was done to give them a heads up that you could have heavy rain, and we're not exactly sure where it's going to land," Patrick said. "Obviously as it got dark last night, we got into the wee morning of the hours, that's when the storm started to zero in.' Asked about how people were notified in Kerr County so that they could get to safety, Judge Rob Kelly, the county's chief elected official, said: 'We do not have a warning system.' When reporters pushed on why more precautions weren't taken, Kelly said: 'Rest assured, no one knew this kind of flood was coming.' Popular tourism area prone to flooding The area is known as 'flash flood alley' because of the hills' thin layer of soil, said Austin Dickson, CEO of the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, which was collecting donations to help nonprofits responding to the disaster. 'When it rains, water doesn't soak into the soil,' Dickson said. 'It rushes down the hill.' River tourism industry is a key part of the Hill Country economy. Well-known, century-old summer camps bring in kids from all over the country, Dickson said. 'It's generally a very tranquil river with really beautiful clear blue water that people have been attracted to for generations,' Dickson said. ___ Fingerhut reported from Des Moines, Iowa. Associated Press reporters Adrian Sanz in Memphis, Tennessee, Hannah Schoenbaum in Salt Lake City, John O'Connor in Springfield, Illinois, and Susan Haigh in Norwich, Connecticut, also contributed.
