Over 70 have died after catastrophic flooding in Texas - as officials warn ‘wall of water' could batter region
Flash floods slammed Kerr County and its surrounding areas at the start of the holiday weekend, leaving locals, campers, and July 4th visitors swept up in the catastrophic floods.
Rescue efforts were still in full force Sunday as emergency crews raced against the clock to find 11 girls from Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian camp along the Guadalupe River that was devastated by the floods.
'We won't stop until we find every girl who was in those cabins,' Governor Greg Abbott said in a Saturday evening statement.
The region is now bracing for more heavy rainfall, potentially complicating the search efforts and endangering even more people.
There are reports of an additional 'wall of water' heading toward Kerr County, Nim Kidd, Chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, said at a Sunday afternoon press conference. Kidd warned: 'Because the ground is already saturated, any rain that falls can be perceived as life-threatening rain.'
The National Weather Service had predicted between 1 and 3 inches of rain, with some areas possibly getting 5 to 7 inches. But the reality was a torrential downpour along the Guadalupe River late Thursday that led to unexpected flash floods, with parts of Kerr County getting pummeled with 10 to 15 inches in just a short span.
The river surged from 8 feet to 29 feet in a matter of hours early Friday morning. Camp Mystic, which sits along the river, was 'horrendously ravaged,' Abbott said.
At least 27 people at Camp Mystic have died as a result of the floods, the camp told NBC News in a statement.
"This tragedy has devastated us and our entire community. Our hearts are broken alongside the families that are enduring this tragedy, and we share their hope and prayers," the statement read.
The search for 10 missing girls and one counselor continues. In total, at least 40 people across Texas counties were missing as of Sunday afternoon, the governor said, while dozens of others have died due to the flash floods.
The death toll rose to 79 people on Sunday.
Dick Eastland, the director of Camp Mystic, and Chloe Childress, an 18-year-old counselor at the camp, both lost their lives in the floods, according to reports.
Jonathan Eades, head of the Kinkaid School from where Childress recently graduated, told the New York Times that she lost her life upholding a 'selfless and fierce commitment to others.'
Several campers, not even 10 years old, also died in the floods, their families confirmed.
Julian Ryan, a 27-year-old dishwasher in Ingram, Texas, lost his life after water poured into his trailer home. The rest of his family was spared. 'He was the best father, and was always such a happy person who was never above helping people, no matter what it cost,' his fiancee Christinia Wilson told the Times. 'He died trying to save us.'
Jane Ragsdale, camp director and co-owner of Heart O' the Hills, a summer camp along the Guadalupe River, was killed in the floods, the camp said in a statement. 'She embodied the spirit of Heart O' the Hills and was exactly the type of strong, joyful woman that the camp aimed to develop with the girls entrusted to us each summer,' the statement read.
More than two dozen other victims, including children, have yet to be identified, officials said Sunday.
Federal, state and local entities have been working on search and rescue efforts for a third day.
On Saturday, officials said more than 850 people had been rescued or evacuated. The Texas Military Department has conducted 525 rescues and evacuations, both by air and by ground, an official said at a Sunday afternoon press conference. The Coast Guard has saved or assisted in saving 223 lives, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Saturday.
As of Sunday, there are 230 Texas Military Department personnel working on the response. They are operating eight helicopters as well as some high-profile military vehicles to help evacuate people from high-water areas, officials said.
The personnel are still in Kerrville and have expanded their operations to include San Saba and Burnet. There are also some behavior health officers and chaplains working in those areas.
In Kerr County alone, there were 400 first responders working on Sunday, with more than 100 air, water, and ground vehicles conducting search and rescue efforts, the sheriff's office said.
President Donald Trump signed a Major Disaster Declaration for Kerr County, Texas on Sunday, providing federal resources to the ravaged area, he said in a statement Sunday morning.
'These families are enduring an unimaginable tragedy, with many lives lost, and many still missing. The Trump Administration continues to work closely with State and Local Leaders. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem was on the ground yesterday with Governor Greg Abbott, who is working hard to help the people of his Great State,' the president wrote. 'Our incredible U.S. Coast Guard, together with State First Responders, have saved more than 850 lives. GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS!'
Former President George W. Bush, who served as the 46th governor of Texas, offered his condolences in a statement shared to social media on Sunday.
"On this day of prayer, Laura and I are holding up our fellow Texans who are hurting. We are heartbroken by the loss of life and the agony so many are feeling. Those who have lost their precious children are facing a grief no parents should ever know,' the former president said.
'We are grateful to the first responders and volunteers who are working to find the missing and comfort the grieving at Camp Mystic and along the Guadalupe. We know our words cannot help, but we believe the prayers of so many Americans will,' the statement continued.
Former President Barack Obama also said he was praying for those affected by the floods, calling the disaster 'heartbreaking.'
'The flash flooding in Central Texas is absolutely heartbreaking. Michelle and I are praying for everyone who has lost a loved one or is waiting for news — especially the parents. And we're grateful to the first responders and rescue teams working around the clock to help,' he wrote.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Invest 93L: See spaghetti models for system near Florida
The National Hurricane Center is monitoring Invest 93L, an area of low pressure off the east coast of Florida. Invest 93L is expected to move west across Florida over the next day and into the Gulf by late Tuesday, July 15. ➤ Track all active storms ➤ Weather alerts via text: Sign up to get updates about current storms and weather events by location As of 2 p.m. on July 14, environmental conditions appear favorable and some gradual development of this system is possible while it moves westward to west-northwestward across the northeastern and north-central portions of the Gulf during the middle to latter part of this week, according to the NHC's advisory. Regardless of development, heavy rainfall could produce localized flash flooding over portions of Florida and the north-central Gulf coast through the middle to latter portion of this week. Formation chance through 48 hours: low, 20 percent. Formation chance through 7 days: low, 30 percent. The next named storm will be Dexter. Special note about spaghetti models: Spaghetti model illustrations include an array of forecast tools and models, and not all are created equal. The Hurricane Center uses only the top four or five highest performing models to help make its forecasts. This graphic automatically updates to show all active storms in the Atlantic basin. If the storm tracker is not loading, click here. Forecasters have been predicting an above-normal season in the Atlantic basin, which consists of the northern Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of America and Caribbean Sea. NOAA is predicting there is a 60% chance of an above-normal season, a 30% chance of a near-normal season and a 10% chance for a below-normal season. Forecasters predict: Named storms: 13-19 Hurricanes: 6-10 Major hurricanes: 3-5 That's above the 30-year average from 1991 to 2020, with 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes, according to NOAA. We will update our tropical weather coverage daily. Download your local site's app to ensure you're always connected to the news. And look for our special subscription offers here. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Invest 93L: See latest spaghetti models, path
CNN
22 minutes ago
- CNN
Deadly flooding devastates central Texas: Here's how to help
In the early morning hours of July 4, torrential rains triggered flash flooding in central Texas. At least 130 people were killed, including dozens of children who were at summer camps along the Guadalupe River. The river rose more than 20 feet in less than two hours. More than 100 people remain missing. As the search and recovery continues, charities are on the ground providing aid. You can help by clicking HERE or using the form below.
New York Times
30 minutes ago
- New York Times
Flash Floods Pour Into New York City Subway Station
Jessica Louise Dye, a New York City musician, thought the packed subway car she was riding uptown through Manhattan on Monday had ground to a halt because of the usual rush hour delays. Then Ms. Dye, 39, heard the gasps. She looked out the window saw water cascading down the stairs from a station entrance at 28th Street and Seventh Avenue. In front of a turnstile, a murky torrent was spewing like a geyser. Ms. Dye, who has lived in New York for more than a decade, said she felt a little nervous about being stuck underground under those circumstances. Still, her first thought was about how long she would have to wait. 'I was like, great, of course, I should have just walked,' she said. As torrential rains drenched large swathes of the Mid-Atlantic and dumped several inches of rain on a region stretching from central Virginia to the New York metropolitan area on Monday evening, flash floods inundated multiple New York City subway stations, submerged major roads and prompted the National Weather Service to issue flash flood warnings for all five of the city's boroughs. Videos posted to social media showed floodwaters gushing into subway cars, inundating streets and submerging vehicles across the region. Water pressure appeared to lift manhole covers from the road. In New Jersey, social media videos appeared to show a person kayaking down the street and the news media filmed rescue crews helping people stuck on flooded roads. Several minutes after the No. 1 train Ms. Dye was riding stopped at the 28th Street station, the driver opened the doors. Then water rushed in, prompting some passengers to climb onto their seats. Then the doors closed again. One passenger, Juan Luis Landaeta, later said that he had never seen flooding like that in 12 years of living in the city. 'It was a disaster,' he said. Ms. Dye said it was worse than anything she had seen in 2012, when Hurricane Sandy swamped parts of the city in waist-deep waters. She said some tourists on the No. 1 train, including two women in open-toed sandals who were consulting one another about how they might wade through the floodwaters, seemed concerned. 'The real New Yorkers were just on their phones, not caring, not paying attention,' she added. The conductor kept the passengers informed throughout, she said, though he too seemed exasperated. 'He was like, 'Oh, my God, it's only Monday,'' she said. 'And then he was like, 'I don't get paid enough for this.'' After 10 to 15 minutes, the train departed and continued uptown, Ms. Dye said. When she got out at Times Square, a light fog had settled over the city. 'The heat had calmed down because it finally rained,' she said. 'So we got a little bit of break from the heat wave.'
