![Dramatic Video Captures Moment Woman Clinging to Tree Branch after Being Swept 20 Miles Downstream During Texas Floods Is Rescued [WATCH]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdata.ibtimes.sg%2Fen%2Ffull%2F82339%2Fwoman-tree-texas-floods.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
Dramatic Video Captures Moment Woman Clinging to Tree Branch after Being Swept 20 Miles Downstream During Texas Floods Is Rescued [WATCH]
The 22-year-old woman, whose identity has yet not been revealed, was found desperately hanging onto the branches of a Cypress tree, high above the ground, as powerful floodwaters raged beneath her, according to KENS5. A nearby homeowner in Center Point heard her cries for help and quickly came to her rescue—just in time. Luckily the woman was saved in time.
Surviving the Force of the Nature
"I hear you, I see you," the homeowner reassured the woman, according to the local news station. The man, whose name was not revealed, tried calling 911, but there was no response from the inundated emergency hotline.
Unable to get through to emergency services, the man ran into the street and flagged down nearby first responders who were already involved in search and rescue efforts.
Rescue teams launched boats to locate the woman, who had been trapped in the tree for several hours.
By the time they arrived, the floodwaters had receded by about 10 feet, and the woman had to take a leap of faith, jumping from the tree into the waiting boat.
The unidentified woman miraculously survived with only minor cuts and bruises—an incredible outcome given that she was swept across four dams and narrowly avoided being hit by refrigerators and cars carried by the floodwaters.
She had been camping with her parents and other relatives at a campground in Ingram when the rapidly rising river tore her from her tent, according to KENS5.
Her family tried to flee in a vehicle, but it too was swept away by the raging waters.
It remains unknown whether the woman's family made it out alive.
Young Lives Lost
At least two of the missing girls from Camp Mystic were found dead during the overnight search and rescue operations in Texas on Friday, according to family and local reports. Renee Smajstrla, 8, and Janie Hunt, 9, were among as many as 25 campers swept away by the devastating flash floods in the Guadalupe River.
"Thank you to all our friends and family for all the prayers and outreach. Renee has been found and while not the outcome we prayed for, the social media outreach likely assisted the first responders in helping to identify her so quickly," her uncle wrote on Facebook along with a picture of the young girl.
"We are thankful she was with her friends and having the time of her life, as evidenced by this picture from yesterday. She will forever be living her best life at Camp Mystic. Please continue to pray for the other families in Kerrville."
Janie was also found dead, according to Corpus Christi Crónica. The 9-year-old's mother told CNN on Friday that she hadn't received any information about her daughter's whereabouts since the flood struck the camp.
"We are just praying," Janie's mother had said.
It remains unclear whether any other campers have been confirmed dead, but local reports suggest that some of the girls were rescued and taken to centers where they could be reunited with their families.
So far, 24 people have been confirmed dead, including Heart O' the Hills Director Jane Ragsdale.
Between 23 and 25 girls from the Christian overnight camp—which welcomes girls aged 7 to 17—were carried away by the powerful floods early Friday morning, including several who had been inside cabins that were swept away.
The National Weather Service said that the Guadalupe River—which runs alongside Camp Mystic in the San Antonio suburb of Hunt—surged over 20 feet within just 90 minutes, marking the worst flooding the area has experienced since 1987.
A flood warning was issued at 4 a.m., when most residents were still asleep.
Search efforts continued into Saturday morning as rainfall continued across Hill County. Officials warned that the risk of additional flash flooding remained high, with alerts in place from San Antonio to Waco for the next 24 to 48 hours.
The Guadalupe River also flooded parts of Kerr County in 1987, sweeping away a church bus and killing 10 teenagers.
Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said that the campgrounds currently lack an official warning system.
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AsiaOne
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New York detectives head to gunman's home in Nevada amid calls for gun control, World News
NEW YORK — New York City detectives investigating this week's mass shooting were interviewing the attacker's associates in his home state of Nevada on Wednesday (July 30), as gun safety advocates expressed dismay that he was able to buy a gun there legally last month despite two reported mental health hospitalisations. Authorities say Shane Tamura, 27, drove from his Las Vegas home to Manhattan, marched into an office skyscraper on Monday and fatally shot four people, including an off-duty police officer, with an assault-style rifle before taking his own life. Tamura legally purchased a revolver in Nevada in June at a gun store, New York police said, even though, according to multiple news reports, he was hospitalised under an emergency "mental health crisis hold" in 2022 and again in 2024. The details of those episodes were not known. 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[[nid:720757]] "It is horrifying... that a man with documented mental health struggles was able to purchase a weapon, let alone a weapon of such devastating capability," New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani told reporters on Wednesday, urging a national ban on assault rifles. New York is one of 10 states that bans such weapons, according to the advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety. The National Rifle Association, the New York State Firearms Association and the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The groups oppose restrictions on guns as an infringement on individual rights. Red flag laws Under Nevada law, officers can detain individuals on emergency holds in mental health facilities or hospitals for up to 72 hours for evaluation. 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New York detectives head to gunman's home in Nevada amid calls for gun control
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That law is similar to Nevada's "red flag" statute, which allows law enforcement or relatives to ask a court to seize firearms from anyone considered a risk. The new law was needed because patrol officers often don't have time to petition a court when they're dealing with someone in a mental health crisis, according to John Abel, governmental affairs director at the Las Vegas Police Protective Association. "We needed the ability to be able to safely and legally pick up that firearm while we were on the scene," he said. Had the new law been in effect in 2022 and 2024 when Tamura was placed under mental health holds, officers could have temporarily impounded his firearms. But he would have been able to pick them up from the police station once he was discharged from the hospital. 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International Business Times
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The Nevada man who stormed a Midtown Manhattan skyscraper armed with an M4 assault rifle, killing four people before taking his own life, may have been seeking revenge against the National Football League. Shane Tamura, 27, was found with a letter on his body expressing anger toward the NFL and its response to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), after the deadly attack at 345 Park Avenue. In the note, he railed against the league and requested that his brain be examined. "Terry Long football gave me CTE and it caused me to drink a gallon of antifreeze," Tamura wrote, according to CNN. "You can't go against the NFL, they'll squash you." Strange Motive Behind Rampage Shane Tamura X The gunman was referring to former Pittsburgh Steelers player Terry Long, who died by suicide by drinking antifreeze in 2006 after battling CTE. "Study my brain please I'm sorry Tell Rick I'm sorry for everything," the note read. Tamura shot and killed three people in the lobby of the skyscraper: NYPD officer Didarul Islam, a 36-year-old father of two; a second security guard who tried to shield himself behind the security desk; and an unidentified woman who tried to take cover behind a pillar. Shane Tamura X Another man in the lobby was critically injured by gunfire. Tamura then called an elevator and took it to the 33rd floor, where the offices of building management firm Rudin are located. There, he shot a fourth victim, whose identity has not yet been revealed. He ended the violent rampage by taking his own life. Authorities said that Tamura drove from his home in Las Vegas in a black BMW, passing through Colorado on July 26 and continuing through New Jersey before reaching Manhattan. Shane Tamura was a former high school football player with a documented history of mental health struggles X Chilling surveillance footage later showed him entering the building—home to the NFL's headquarters—wearing a sport coat and a button-down shirt, while carrying a large assault rifle. He began shooting inside the lobby shortly before 6:30 p.m. Tamura was once a star high school football player, deeply passionate about the sport and seemingly headed for a future shaped by structure and teamwork. During his senior season, he earned six Player of the Game honors, racked up 126 carries for 616 rushing yards, and scored five touchdowns over nine games. End of a Promising Career In recent years, Tamura had a "documented history of mental health issues," NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated during a press briefing. Yet, he earned a private investigator's license and was legally granted a concealed carry permit through the Las Vegas Sheriff's Department. Shane Tamura X The NFL's headquarters are located on the fifth floor of the building, but according to law enforcement, Tamura never went up to that level. However, an NFL employee was "seriously injured," as mentioned in an internal staff memo from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, obtained by CNN. Goodell said that the injured employee was rushed to the hospital, where fellow NFL staff members are currently supporting the employee's family. Meanwhile, police in both New York City and Nevada are investigating Tamura's background, digging through his social media activity and searching his Las Vegas residence for clues that might reveal his motive. Shane Tamura had his firearms permit concealed in 2022 X Authorities have already recovered a rifle case containing ammunition, a loaded revolver, extra magazines, a backpack, and prescription medication from his vehicle. Police believe Tamura acted alone in the broad daylight shooting. However, investigators are still working to determine whether anyone helped him in planning the attack or helped facilitate his travel across state lines and entry into the highly secured office tower, which was locked down while armed officers swept the building.
