Terrifying vid shows Texas river swallow bridge & swell to bursting in just 2 MINUTES as 51 dead & 27 children missing
At least 51 people have died and two dozens girls are missing after flash flooding bulldozed through homes and summer camps - and dozens are still missing.
10
10
Timelapse footage of the Llano river shows the terrifying pace at which the water rose.
A road bridge crosses the river, which is filled with rocks, islands and trees.
Suddenly, a wall of water cascades down the river.
The surface level rises sharply - and in under two minutes the bridge is totally submerged.
All but the top leaves of the very tallest trees along the river disappear as thousands of tons of water flood through the valley.
Locals on the ground - including public safety officials - captured the bridge disappearing from ground level.
They are repeatedly forced to seek higher ground as the torrent climbs up the river bank.
Rescuers are still scouring the devastated landscape in central Texas, but hopes of finding survivors are fast dwindling.
Worst hit was Kerr County, particularly areas around the Guadeloupe River where waters rose by 26ft in 45 minutes following a freak dump of rainfall.
About a third of a year's worth of rain fell in a few short hours, completely overwhelming the waterways and creating an "extraordinary catastrophe".
Larry Leitha, Kerr County sheriff, said: "We have recovered 43 deceased individuals in Kerr County. Among these who are deceased we have 28 adults and 15 children."
Dalton Rice, Kerville city manager, said on Saturday: "We've been rescuing people out of these camps by the hundreds. There's a lot of folks that are shelter in place, so we leave them in place to make sure that we get them food, water."
Multiple people lost their lives in other counties, bringing the current confirmed death toll to 51 - though this is sadly expected to rise.
The most desperate search is for a group of school-age girls who went missing from Camp Mystic - a Christian summer camp near the river.
10
10
Heartbreaking photos from the wrecked site show sodden mattresses and teddies strewn across dormitories.
On Saturday, Sheriff Leitha said 27 of the children were still missing.
The parents of all the missing children have been notified - and many turned to social media to share desperate pleas for information about their girls.
Local reports suggest that up to five girls have been confirmed as dead, citing their families.
Janie Hunt, 9, was among the dead, her distraught mother told CNN.
A relative of nine-year-old Renee Smajstrla revealed on Facebook that the girls's body had been found.
10
10
Shawna Salta wrote: "We are thankful she was with her friends and having the time of her life, as evidenced by this picture from yesterday."
Lila Bonner's family also statement confirming her death.
They wrote: "In the midst of our unimaginable grief, we ask for privacy and are unable to confirm any details at this time.
"We ache with all who loved her and are praying endlessly."
Lila shared a cabin with her best friend Eloise Peck, 8, who also lost her life.
10
10
Her mom, Missy Peck, told Fox4: 'Eloise was literally friends with everyone. She loved spaghetti but not more than she loved dogs and animals.
'She passed away with her cabinmate and best friend Lila Bonner who also died.
"Eloise had a family who loved her fiercely for the 8 years she was with us. Especially her Mommy.'
Camp Mystic's owner and director Dick Eastland is amongst those confirmed to have died.
Elsewhere in Texas, four people were confirmed dead in Travis County, northeast of Kerr, and 13 people were missing, according to public information office director Hector Nieto.
The total number of people missing is still unknown.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
36 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Packed cabin swept away in Texas floods
A cabin packed with people was swept away by deadly floodwaters after torrential rain hit central Texas on Friday. At least 59 people are confirmed to have died in Kerr County and neighbouring areas after nearly a foot of rain fell on Friday, causing the Guadalupe River to overflow. Among the missing are 27 girls from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp in Hunt, Texas. State officials said the death toll was expected to rise. Before the flood, photos showed an idyllic retreat with green-roofed cabins and names like 'Wiggle Inn.' But the scene has since transformed into devastation, with communities submerged, homes destroyed, and vehicles swept away. In one of the most harrowing moments, a large cabin was filmed floating down the Guadalupe River in Hill County. Faint yellow lights flickered from within as panicked voices echoed in the night. 'Oh my God, there's so many people in it,' a bystander said as the cabin disappeared into the current. On Sunday, emergency teams were searching for those still unaccounted for after the river rose 26ft in 45 minutes overnight on Friday. Larry Leitha, the local county sheriff, confirmed 38 adults and 21 children were among the dead in Kerry County, while 10 more died in other Texas counties. Renee Smajstrla, eight, who had been 'having the time of her life,' is among the victims. '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,' said her uncle, Shawn Salta. Nine-year-old Janie Hunt, nine, was also confirmed dead by her mother, Anne Hunt, who told CNN she had been 'praying' for her daughter's safe return. The families of Sarah Marsh, eight, and Lila Bonner, nine, two more girls from Camp Mystic, also confirmed their deaths. 'Our sweet Sarah is gone!' Debbie Ford Marsh, Sarah's grandmother, wrote in a Facebook post on Saturday. 'We will always feel blessed to have had this beautiful spunky ray of light in our lives. She will live on in our hearts forever! We love you so much sweet Sarah!' she added. 'Last act of kindness' Dick Eastland, the long-time owner and director of Camp Mystic, reportedly died while trying to rescue campers. '[Eastland] was family to so many campers,' wrote Paige Sumner, who knew Mr Eastland, in a tribute for the Kerrville Daily Times. 'It doesn't surprise me at all that his last act of kindness and sacrifice was working to save the lives of campers.' Lt Governor Dan Patrick said 700 girls were in residence at the camp when the flood hit. By Sunday morning, 27 remained missing. Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, was quizzed about why the National Weather Service's (NWS) alerts about heavy rainfall and flooding were delayed, blaming its 'ancient' alerts system. 'The weather is extremely difficult to predict,' she said alongside Greg Abbott, the governor of Texas. 'But also … the National Weather Service, over the years at times, has done well and at times, we have all wanted more time and more warning and more notification.' 'We needed to renew this ancient system that has been left in place with the federal government for many, many years and that is the reforms that are ongoing there,' Ms Noem added. Residents in central Texas were warned of a 'moderate' storm at about 1.18pm on Thursday, with the NWS initial flood watch predicting 5-7 inches of rain. This was the first in a series of bulletins that grew increasingly serious in the early hours of Friday morning before a 'threat to life' was issued at 4.03am. The Trump administration has faced criticism for staffing cuts to the NWS, which saw nearly 600 employees laid off earlier this year, doubling the vacancy rate since January, The New York Times reported. But Greg Waller, an NWS hydrologist in Fort Worth, told the Texas Tribune that the team had 'adequate staffing, adequate technology' on the night of the storm. Mr Trump on Sunday signed a major disaster declaration for Kerr Country 'to ensure that our brave first responders immediately have the resources they need'. The US president said on social media: 'These families are enduring an unimaginable tragedy, with many lives lost, and many still missing.' 'Our incredible US Coast Guard, together with State First Responders, have saved more than 850 lives,' he said, ending the message with: 'GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS!'
Daily Mail
42 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Trump's National Weather Service under fire after deadly Texas floods
Victims of the flash floods wreaking havoc across Central Texas are furious, accusing the National Weather Service (NWS) of failing to warn communities before it was too late. At least 67 people — including 21 children — have died since the early hours of the Fourth of July, when rapid rainfall caused the Guadalupe River to surge over 30 feet above normal levels. Rescue teams are still searching for missing victims, including 11 girls and a counselor at Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp in Kerr County — the area hit hardest. As search and recovery efforts continue, and Donald Trump signs a 'major disaster declaration' to support first responders, local officials are blaming the NWS for issuing alerts too late. The NWS put out a flood watch on Thursday at 1:18 p.m., estimating up to seven inches of rain by Friday morning. A flash flood warning came at 1:14 a.m. Friday, with an urgent, extreme-level warning at 4:03 a.m. urging evacuation to high ground. Experts say the forecasts existed — they just didn't reach people in time. 'This wasn't a forecasting failure,' meteorologist Matt Lanza told the Texas Tribune. 'It was a breakdown in communication.' Further complicating matters, many warnings came while Texans were asleep. 'The Weather Service was on the ball,' said meteorologist Chris Vagasky. 'They got the warning out, but this was an extreme event.' Still, Texas officials say the NWS drastically underestimated rainfall. Emergency Management Chief W. Nim Kidd said, 'The amount of rain that fell at this specific location was never in any of those forecasts.' Staffing issues may have played a role. The NWS is hiring 100 new employees after nearly 600 departed in recent months due to Trump-era firings, buyouts, and retirements. By April, nearly half of forecast offices had 20% vacancy rates. Yet NWS meteorologist Jason Runyen said the New Braunfels office had extra staff on duty that night. 'That's typical—we staff up for events,' he noted. Meanwhile, victims say there was no effective local emergency system to deliver warnings. Christopher Flowers, who was staying at a friend's house near the Guadalupe River, said the forecast looked normal — until he woke up surrounded by water. Bud Bolton, a Kerrville resident, said no one warned him. 'Where was the notification for all these families that needed to get out of here?' he told the Houston Chronicle. 'That's their job.' Lorena Guillen, a restaurant owner who lives in the Blue Oak RV Park, said she called the sheriff's office before 3 a.m. but wasn't told to evacuate. 'We saw cabins and cars floating down the river with people honking inside,' she said. Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly admitted the county has no unified emergency alert system, saying, 'The public reeled at the cost.' He also didn't know what alert system Camp Mystic had in place. Experts argue this tragedy could have been lessened. AccuWeather's chief meteorologist Jonathan Porter said flash flood warnings should trigger immediate action, regardless of rainfall estimates. At a Saturday press conference, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem joined Governor Greg Abbott and vowed to upgrade the 'ancient system.' Trump echoed support in a Truth Social post, saying, 'These families are enduring an unimaginable tragedy.' But victims like Guillen say the response has been inadequate. 'There was too much loss — human loss and property loss,' she said.
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
More than 20 children among the dozens dead in Texas floods
More than 20 children were among the dozens confirmed dead following flash floods in central Texas, authorities said on Sunday (July 6) as rescuers continued searching for the missing. As Diane To reports, some experts are questioning whether cuts to the federal workforce by the Trump administration led to a failure by officials to accurately predict the severity of the floods and issue appropriate warnings.
