
Texas flooding flash flood Camp Mystic: What we know about the victims so far
Search and rescue efforts are ongoing, with volunteers even using horses to reach flooded areas inaccessible by vehicle.
ALSO READ| Did the Ingram Dam on Guadalupe River fail? Here's what we know amid evacuation alert in Kerrville, Texas
Here are some of the victims of Texas flooding
Julian Ryan
Julian Ryan, 27, slept in his trailer house in Ingram after a night job of working as a dishwasher when floodwaters started pouring in. He, his fiancée, Christinia Wilson, his mother and the two children looked on helplessly as the water rose very fast, and they tried to run away. He broke a window to create an exit but suffered a severe cut to his arm.
'He had lost so much blood and knew he wasn't going to make it,' Ms. Wilson told The Kerrville Daily Times. 'He said, 'I love you. I'm so sorry.' In minutes, he was gone.'
Though the trailer was ripped apart by the water, the rest of the family survived. 'He was the best father... He died trying to save us,' she said.
Blair and Brooke Harber
Sisters Blair, 13, and Brooke Harber, 11, were swept away while staying with their grandparents in a cabin near the river. Their parents, who were in another cabin, survived.
'In moments like this, we are reminded of life's fragility and the lasting power of faith,' Rev. Joshua J. Whitfield of St. Rita Catholic Community wrote in a letter to pastor. 'We will honor Blair and Brooke's lives, the light they shared, and the joy they brought to everyone who knew them.'
ALSO READ| Guadalupe River flood: New emergency alert in Hunt, Ingram and Kerrville - Here's what officials say
Katheryn Eads
Katheryn Eads, 52, and her husband tried to escape their RV as waters surged. However, a passing car took them, but it stalled, and they were washed away. Brian Eads managed to stay alive, hanging on a tree, and later confirmed his wife's death.
Sarah Marsh
Eight-year-old Sarah Marsh, a student from Alabama attending Camp Mystic, was among the young victims. 'This is an unimaginable loss for her family, her school and our entire community,' said Mountain Brook Mayor Stewart Welch per The Kerrville Daily Times.
Janie Hunt
Nine-year-old Janie Hunt of Dallas was also in Camp Mystic. Her cousins survived, but her parents were left to identify her body at a local funeral home, per The Kerrville Daily Times.
Bobby and Amanda Martin
The Martins, from Odessa, were camping by the river when their RV was swept away. Their grandchild and the grandchild's girlfriend are still missing. 'He's just incredible,' Bobby's father, John Keith Martin, told The New York Times.
ALSO READ| Mebane, NC weather: Flash flooding reported, possible tornado on ground | Videos
Jane Ragsdale
Jane Ragsdale, co-owner and director of Heart O' the Hills camp, also lost her life. 'She embodied the spirit of Heart O' the Hills,' the camp website noted.
Ragsdale had led the camp since 1988 after starting as a camper herself.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


News18
22 minutes ago
- News18
Texas Floods: Over 80 Dead, Including 28 Children, As Search For Missing Continues
Last Updated: The floods were triggered by an unprecedented downpour, reports indicate rainfall may have reached up to 15 inches in under an hour Rescue teams in central Texas are racing to locate dozens still missing after flash floods swept through the region, claiming the lives of more than 80 people, including 28 children. Local authorities have warned that further rain could bring more devastation. In Kerr County—the hardest-hit area—Sheriff Larry Leitha confirmed the deaths of 68 people, among them 28 children, all victims of the Saturday morning deluge. Nearby counties in south-central Texas reported at least 14 more fatalities. Across the state, 41 individuals are known to be missing, Governor Greg Abbott announced. Teams deployed 17 helicopters and drones alongside ground crews in the search, focusing especially on Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp on the banks of the Guadalupe River. The camp, which sheltered around 750 people, was struck when floodwaters surged overnight, sweeping away cabins and campers. Ten girls and a counsellor remain unaccounted for at the site. Over 850 residents across the region have been rescued so far. Emergency services, including boats, helicopters, and drones, continue to patrol flooded rivers and debris-laden terrain, contending with searing heat, snakes, and unstable ground. The floods were triggered by an unprecedented downpour, reports indicate rainfall may have reached up to 15 inches in under an hour. This caused the normally placid Guadalupe River to rise by as much as 26 feet in mere minutes, engulfing nearby towns. Governor Abbott has called for a review of local warning systems and flood forecasting accuracy. Some residents have raised concerns about whether the event could have been anticipated more effectively. When asked about reports that budget cuts had impacted the National Weather Service (NWS), Trump said he would not consider rehiring meteorologists. He also declined to confirm whether he would reverse plans to phase out the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), saying, 'FEMA is something we can talk about later." Despite his previous stance that disaster response should be handled at the state level, Trump signed a major disaster declaration on Sunday, authorising federal assistance and activating FEMA to support rescue and relief operations in Texas. (With inputs from AFP)


NDTV
2 hours ago
- NDTV
"Bodies On Trees, Fish Rotting On Banks": Scenes Of Flood Destruction In Texas
Texas: The search and rescue teams plodded through mud-laden riverbanks and flew aircraft over the flood-stricken landscape of central Texas in the United States for a fourth day on Monday, searching for scores of people still missing after the flash floods claimed nearly 80 lives. Most of the deaths from Friday's flash floods were concentrated in the riverfront Hill Country in Texas's Kerrville, where at least 68 people died, including 28 children, according to authorities. The predawn torrential downpours, starting the night before the Independence Day holiday, caused the Guadalupe River to transform into a raging, killer torrent that ran directly through Kerrville, wreaking havoc. The river rose to the height of a two-story building in less than an hour, flooding several children's camps, tearing down trees and tossing cars as if they were toys. Cries For Help As the raging river burst its banks and washed her house, a young woman named Joyce Bandon sent a text message that may have been her last. Bandon and three friends had gone to a country house to spend the July 4 holiday together. Her SOS message triggered a frantic search effort, according to Louis Deppe, leader of a group of volunteers trying to help the Bandon family find their daughter. "Their house collapsed at about 4 in the morning and they were being washed away. On her cellphone, the last message (her family) got was 'we're being washed away' and the phone went dead," Deppe told news agency AFP. He said the team works in groups of two or three people as they look through the debris and detritus left behind by the deluge. "One of the bodies was 8 to 10 feet in a tree, surrounded by so much debris. Not one person could see it, so the more eyes, the better," he added. According to Texas Governor Greg Abbott, "Across the state, in all the areas affected by flooding, there are 41 known missing." In central Texas, some 17 helicopters joined the search for missing people, including ten girls and a counsellor from a riverside Christian summer camp where about 750 people had been staying when disaster struck. Blankets, teddy bears and other belongings at the camp were caked in mud, after windows in the cabins were shattered, apparently by the force of the water. A video surfaced on social media capturing the moment rescuers saved a woman clinging to a tree, who was dragged 20 miles down the Guadalupe River during the deadly Fourth of July floods. The 22-year-old woman was seen desperately clinging to the branches of a Cypress tree, several feet above the ground, as floodwaters rushed below her. She was rescued after a Centre Point homeowner heard her screaming for help and rushed to her aid, KEN5S reported. 🚨INCREDIBLE RESCUE / SURVIVAL STORY 🚨 A 22-year-old woman was rescued from a tree in Center Point, TX after she reportedly floated for more than 10 miles down the Guadalupe River from Ingram, TX. — Gage Goulding - KPRC 2 (@GageGoulding) July 5, 2025 Rescue Efforts Underway The river is returning to normal now, but visuals from Texas show there is utter destruction everywhere on the river banks, like a dead cow hanging from a tree, its head caught between two branches. A pickup trucks were seen lying upside down, while dozens of dead fish swept out of the water and began to rot and stink on the banks. Helicopters are still flying overhead looking for survivors or bodies while rescue teams in boats are riding up and down the river, and emergency officials are combing its banks. Little by little, debris like uprooted trees and ruined cars is being taken away. No Warning State emergency management officials had warned on Thursday, ahead of the July Fourth holiday, that parts of central Texas faced the possibility of heavy showers and flash floods based on National Weather Service Forecasts. But twice as much rain as was predicted ended up falling over two branches of the Guadalupe just upstream of the fork where they converge, sending all of that water racing into the single river channel where it slices through Kerrville, according to City Manager Dalton Rice.


Hindustan Times
3 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Texas to face more life-threatening floods? Warning issued amid disaster
The Texas governor warned on Sunday, July 6, that additional rounds of heavy rains lasting into Tuesday could lead to more life-threatening flooding. Places already saturated are more likely to get affected. KERRVILLE, TEXAS - JULY 06: In an aerial view, the sun sets over the Guadalupe River on July 06, 2025 in Kerrville, Texas. Heavy rainfall caused severe flooding along the Guadalupe River in central Texas, leaving more than 80 people reported dead./AFP (Photo by Brandon Bell / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)(Getty Images via AFP) This warning comes as crews are working to find more survivors, even though the outlook seems bleak. Authorities are facing growing questions about whether they had issued enough warnings in areas that have long been vulnerable to flooding. Questions are also being raised about whether enough preparations were made. Donald Trump signs major disaster declaration Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump signed a major disaster declaration for Kerr County on Sunday, activating the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to Texas. Trump said he might visit on Friday. "I would have done it today, but we'd just be in their way," he told reporters before boarding Air Force One back to Washington after spending the weekend at his golf club in Bedminster. "It's a horrible thing that took place, absolutely horrible." In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote, 'I just signed a Major Disaster Declaration for Kerr County, Texas, to ensure that our Brave First Responders immediately have the resources they need. 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. 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!' Abbott has promised that authorities will work around the clock, and declared Sunday a day of prayer for the state. "I urge every Texan to join me in prayer this Sunday — for the lives lost, for those still missing, for the recovery of our communities, and for the safety of those on the front lines," he said in a statement.