Latest news with #CordShiflet
Indian Express
3 days ago
- General
- Indian Express
Texas flood recovery: Summer camp reopens after community cleanup
Just days after deadly floods claimed 27 lives at Camp Mystic in Texas, another summer camp downstream reopened because of community efforts. Camp Camp, a residential program for youth with disabilities in Centre Point, Texas, welcomed visitors again this summer after a huge cleanup restored the damaged property. Ken Kaiser, director of facility operations, said according to The Guardian, 'Our campers will be able to enjoy our riverfront activities much sooner now. In the midst of heartache, we got to see the best of humanity through these volunteers who came from all over Texas and beyond.' The cleanup started with a Facebook call from Austin real estate agent Cord Shiflet on July 8, seeking 'money, manpower, and machines.' By the next day, 250 volunteers showed up, and the number doubled soon after. Volunteers worked in mud and heat, using excavators and chainsaws to clear debris and repair waterfront areas and damaged facilities. Located on 55 acres along the Guadalupe River, Camp Camp hosts over 800 campers each summer, providing activities like horseback riding, swimming, sports, and archery. Each camper receives a counselor to meet their needs. According to The Guardian, the camp has served children and adults with disabilities for 46 years. The flash floods, beginning on July 4, have claimed at least 135 lives, with over 150 still missing, as per The Guardian. The Guadalupe River surged 26 feet in just 45 minutes. Preliminary economic losses could reach $18 to $22 billion, making this one of the worst natural disasters in Texas history. Governor Greg Abbott has promised legislative debate on improving Texas's flood warning systems but offered no firm commitments. (With inputs from The Guardian)
The Guardian
4 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Colossal cleanup effort allows summer camp to reopen after Texas floods
Just days after the devastating Texas floods killed 27 campers and counselors from Camp Mystic, another summer camp has reopened its doors 30 miles downstream. A colossal cleanup effort from the surrounding community enabled Camp Camp, a residential program serving youth with disabilities, to welcome visitors again this summer. 'Our campers will be able to enjoy our riverfront activities much sooner now,' said Ken Kaiser, the director of facility operations for the camp. 'In the midst of heartache, we got to see the best of humanity through these volunteers who came from all over Texas and beyond.' Camp Camp is located in Centre Point, Texas, and offers a series of five-night sleep-away sessions in the summer for children and adults aged five to 55 years old with mild to severe disabilities. The camp welcomes more than 800 campers each summer, and every visitor is given a 1:1 counsellor ratio to accommodate their needs. It has been in operation for 46 years and hosts the same activities as regular camps, including horseback riding, swimming, sports, archery and more. The herculean rehabilitation of the area where Camp Camp is located, a 55-acre property nestled in the Texas hills along the banks of the Guadalupe River, all began with a Facebook post on 8 July from an Austin real estate agent, Cord Shiflet. Debris had covered the landscape, destroying the waterfront and crucial amenities for the camp, including picnic benches for the children to eat at, had been ruined. Shiflet made a plea for 'money, manpower, and machines'. By the following day, 250 volunteers arrived. The numbers doubled by Friday, with people braving the mud and conditions to haul food supplies, excavators and chainsaws to the area. Some workers who came down to help reported meeting as many as 1,500 people while they were there. 'The energy at Camp Camp was focused, focused on the mission of making it beautiful again,' said Colette Kerns, who drove down with her husband, Jason, to volunteer at the cleanup. 'Everyone had a job to do and worked seamlessly together to get it done.' Colette's husband spent five hours a day using a chainsaw to clear fallen trees and debris, while she organized the kitchen area and helped load logs into trucks to be hauled away. The couple, who are parents of two children with special needs, said they understood how vital this camp is to the families who rely on it. 'It's more than just a place,' said Colette. 'It is a space where children are embraced, understood and celebrated.' Another hero of the rehabilitation project was Rusty Bourland, who, in numerous Facebook posts about the cleanup, has been praised for his hard work, resilience and determination. Bourland was at a wedding in Dripping Springs, Texas, when he began receiving calls from people seeking assistance in the aftermath of the floods. Having helped with relief work during Hurricane Harvey and Tropical Storm Bill, he had experience in rebuilding. Still, he had no idea when he packed one change of clothes that he would actually be down there for six and a half days. He told his wife he was loading a machine and driving south. 'Driving down it felt unknown,' Bourland said. 'We were all being told to not just self-deploy, but nothing compares to this in terms of human devastation.' Bourland, who owns a landscape construction business, said there were days when about 70 machines were on the property. He recalled that the energy was somber as volunteers witnessed many bodies being recovered from the surrounding area. He plans on seeking professional help now that he's home. 'I told everyone, 'Look, we're basically faced with the most difficult situation imaginable,' but as Texans, we try our best to thrive on adversity,' he recounted. 'I compartmentalized and tried to keep people positive.' The death toll from the flash floods, which started on the Fourth of July holiday, has now climbed to 135 people. With more than 150 people still missing, authorities are warning that the number of casualties could continue to rise. The floods are being described as one of the worst natural disasters in Texas history. The Guadalupe River rose 26ft in 45 minutes, and according to a preliminary estimate by the private forecaster AccuWeather, the economic toll of this could range from $18bn to $22bn. The Republican governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, has since stated that he would allow debate in the Texas legislature on the state's flood warning system, but has given no guarantees on how the outcome will unfold. For Gigi Hudnall, whose son Kenny was able to attend Camp Camp again this year, the camaraderie in the reopening has been remarkable. This is the 11th year Kenny will have visited, and Hudnall believes the work they did to make this happen was nothing short of miraculous. 'It gives these kids something they don't usually have – freedom,' she said. 'When we heard about the floods, our hearts broke, for the lives lost and for the camps. It makes me proud to be among people who care and will give to help kids like my son.'
The Guardian
4 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Colossal cleanup effort allows summer camp to reopen after Texas floods
Just days after the devastating Texas floods killed 27 campers and counselors from Camp Mystic, another summer camp has reopened its doors 30 miles downstream. A colossal cleanup effort from the surrounding community enabled Camp Camp, a residential program serving youth with disabilities, to welcome visitors again this summer. 'Our campers will be able to enjoy our riverfront activities much sooner now,' said Ken Kaiser, the director of facility operations for the camp. 'In the midst of heartache, we got to see the best of humanity through these volunteers who came from all over Texas and beyond.' Camp Camp is located in Centre Point, Texas, and offers a series of five-night sleep-away sessions in the summer for children and adults aged five to 55 years old with mild to severe disabilities. The camp welcomes more than 800 campers each summer, and every visitor is given a 1:1 counsellor ratio to accommodate their needs. It has been in operation for 46 years and hosts the same activities as regular camps, including horseback riding, swimming, sports, archery and more. The herculean rehabilitation of the area where Camp Camp is located, a 55-acre property nestled in the Texas hills along the banks of the Guadalupe River, all began with a Facebook post on 8 July from an Austin real estate agent, Cord Shiflet. Debris had covered the landscape, destroying the waterfront and crucial amenities for the camp, including picnic benches for the children to eat at, had been ruined. Shiflet made a plea for 'money, manpower, and machines'. By the following day, 250 volunteers arrived. The numbers doubled by Friday, with people braving the mud and conditions to haul food supplies, excavators and chainsaws to the area. Some workers who came down to help reported meeting as many as 1,500 people while they were there. 'The energy at Camp Camp was focused, focused on the mission of making it beautiful again,' said Colette Kerns, who drove down with her husband, Jason, to volunteer at the cleanup. 'Everyone had a job to do and worked seamlessly together to get it done.' Colette's husband spent five hours a day using a chainsaw to clear fallen trees and debris, while she organized the kitchen area and helped load logs into trucks to be hauled away. The couple, who are parents of two children with special needs, said they understood how vital this camp is to the families who rely on it. 'It's more than just a place,' said Colette. 'It is a space where children are embraced, understood and celebrated.' Another hero of the rehabilitation project was Rusty Bourland, who, in numerous Facebook posts about the cleanup, has been praised for his hard work, resilience and determination. Bourland was at a wedding in Dripping Springs, Texas, when he began receiving calls from people seeking assistance in the aftermath of the floods. Having helped with relief work during Hurricane Harvey and Tropical Storm Bill, he had experience in rebuilding. Still, he had no idea when he packed one change of clothes that he would actually be down there for six and a half days. He told his wife he was loading a machine and driving south. 'Driving down it felt unknown,' Bourland said. 'We were all being told to not just self-deploy, but nothing compares to this in terms of human devastation.' Bourland, who owns a landscape construction business, said there were days when about 70 machines were on the property. He recalled that the energy was somber as volunteers witnessed many bodies being recovered from the surrounding area. He plans on seeking professional help now that he's home. 'I told everyone, 'Look, we're basically faced with the most difficult situation imaginable,' but as Texans, we try our best to thrive on adversity,' he recounted. 'I compartmentalized and tried to keep people positive.' The death toll from the flash floods, which started on the Fourth of July holiday, has now climbed to 135 people. With more than 150 people still missing, authorities are warning that the number of casualties could continue to rise. The floods are being described as one of the worst natural disasters in Texas history. The Guadalupe River rose 26ft in 45 minutes, and according to a preliminary estimate by the private forecaster AccuWeather, the economic toll of this could range from $18bn to $22bn. The Republican governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, has since stated that he would allow debate in the Texas legislature on the state's flood warning system, but has given no guarantees on how the outcome will unfold. For Gigi Hudnall, whose son Kenny was able to attend Camp Camp again this year, the camaraderie in the reopening has been remarkable. This is the 11th year Kenny will have visited, and Hudnall believes the work they did to make this happen was nothing short of miraculous. 'It gives these kids something they don't usually have – freedom,' she said. 'When we heard about the floods, our hearts broke, for the lives lost and for the camps. It makes me proud to be among people who care and will give to help kids like my son.'
Hindustan Times
06-07-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
'27 feet above ground': How 2 girls survived the deadly Texas floods
Two young girls were found alive during flood-related search operations near Comfort, Texas, on Sunday. They were found clinging to the branches of a tree 27 feet above the ground. According to Cord Shiflet, a member of the search and rescue team, the girls had been holding on for over 24 hours before being discovered six miles downstream from where they were last seen. A drone view shows fallen trees, as a result of flash flooding, in Comfort, Texas, U.S., July 5, 2025.(REUTERS) In a Facebook Live video, Shiflet shared the emotional moment, saying, "They had been holding on for over a day, and they found them six miles down river." The identities of the girls have not been released. Later, in a separate Facebook post, Shiflet added, 'In case you missed my Facebook live overwhelmingly thrilled to report two young girls were just found alive 27 feet off the ground in trees near comfort Texas. It gives all of us hope to keep working harder and faster. Keep your thoughts and prayers with everybody down here. It's a very tough day, but good things are also happening.' Comfort is located in Kendall County, one of several regions hit hard by devastating floods that have now claimed at least 70 lives. Shiflet also reported that four bodies had been recovered: a man found in debris, two women discovered in a vehicle, and one unidentified person at the site. Flood Devastation Across Central Texas The confirmed death toll from the Central Texas floods reached at least 70 as of Sunday. At least 30 people are still officially listed as missing across multiple counties. Among the missing are 11 campers and one counselor from Camp Mystic, a girls' summer camp in Kerr County. The geographic breakdown of confirmed fatalities is as follows: Kerr County: 59 deaths Travis County: 4 Burnet County: 3 Kendall County: 2 Williamson County: 1 Tom Green County: 1 Federal Response President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that he had signed a "Major Disaster Declaration" for Kerr County, Texas. The declaration is "to ensure that our Brave First Responders immediately have the resources they need," he wrote in a Truth Social post on Sunday. "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," Trump added.
Economic Times
06-07-2025
- General
- Economic Times
2 girls found alive: Texas Floods Miracle: Two girls found alive, clinging to a tree for over a day — ‘Six miles downriver and 27 feet in the air'
Miraculous discovery: 2 girls found alive Live Events Camp Mystic tragedy Grim toll and ongoing search Extreme weather warning systems under scrutiny 800 rescued till now Community support through Mercy Chefs and volunteers Failure in warning? US President takes action FAQs What triggered the Texas flash floods in July 2025? How many people have died as a result of the flooding? (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Central Texas reeled under unprecedented flash floods on Friday as heavy rains sent the Guadalupe River rushing through Kerr County and surrounding areas. The violent surge, soaring 26 feet in under an hour, demolished cabins, carried away vehicles, and tragically claimed at least 70 lives, including 21 children, with more than 800 people rescued from the deluge, as per a report by the Associated grim search-and-rescue efforts, a Facebook Live broadcast by volunteer rescuer Cord Shiflet delivered an astonishing update. Two young girls, whose identities remain concealed, were discovered alive, perched 27 feet high in a lone tree between Comfort and Homillus Road, near Center Point, as per a report by the Daily clung on for more than a day, they were found six miles downstream from their likely point of origin.'They had been holding on for over a day, and they found them six miles downriver,' Shiflet recounted. The girls were promptly airlifted to safety, their miraculous survival offering a rare beacon of hope amid flood's human toll was especially severe at Camp Mystic, a Christian girls' camp dating back to 1974. The camp's director and co-owner, Dick Eastland, perished in what many are calling an act of heroism, attempting to shield young campers from the rising nephew posted a tribute on social media: 'Camp Mystic's Dick Eastland no doubt gave his life attempting to save his campers.' U.S. Congressman August Pfluger echoed the sentiment, praising Eastland's least four campers and one counselor from Camp Mystic remain missing. The camp's cabins and grounds, now dotted with flooded debris and belongings, were opened to families on Sunday, with the riverbanks and structures being painstakingly combed for clues and County, where Camp Mystic is located, reported 59 fatalities as of Sunday afternoon. Body recoveries continued across affected counties—four in Travis, three in Burnet, two in Kendall, and one each in Tom Green and Williamson, as authorities pledged to leave no stone unturned until every victim is accounted panned through river debris, searched among toppled trees and scattered personal effects, and mourned lives experts and local officials noted the flood's rapid onset: four months' worth of rainfall in mere National Weather Service had issued flash flood alerts beginning Thursday afternoon, and 'life-threatening' warnings followed shortly after midnight Friday. Still, questions loom about whether warnings were sufficiently relayed or heeded, especially in remote camp areas. Compounding the issue, understaffed regional forecast centres, affected by personnel reductions, may have impaired warning intense rainfall fell after midnight, often the most dangerous time for flash floods, many residents, campers, and authorities were caught unawares. While searchlights, drones, boats, and Coast Guard helicopters scoured the waters, flash flood watches remained in effect, and more storms were forecast into the first 36 hours, rescuers brought over 800 individuals to safety. Helicopters leapfrogged flooded zones, drones canvassed unreachable areas, and ground teams navigated treacherous debris and mud-choked Greg Abbott ordered round-the-clock efforts and declared Sunday a 'state day of prayer' for victims, survivors, and relief workers. Even Pope Francis, addressing crowds at the Vatican, prayed in English for the bereaved families, especially noting the young campers who were rescue operations, community groups and nonprofit networks have mobilised to support first responders and displaced families. Organisations known as 'mercy chefs'—teams of volunteer cooks—have been serving hot meals to stranded residents, search crews, and shelter occupants. Their efforts have been hailed as vital in maintaining morale and sustenance amid are now asking why the warnings fell short. Was the overnight timing of the floods to blame, or could understaffed forecast offices have delayed alerts? National Weather Service personnel assert that alert bulletins, including an Emergency Alert System notification at 1:14 a.m., were issued in a timely officials admit signal gaps may have left some cabins and camps County Judge Rob Kelly said, 'We had no reason to believe this was going to be anything like what's happened here.'Meanwhile, Congressman Chip Roy described the flood as a 'once-in-a-century' event, acknowledging that unanswered questions and public scrutiny are inevitable as families seek FEMA activated by President Trump's disaster declaration on Sunday, federal resources are being marshaled for long-term recovery. As water levels fall and access routes are restored, family reunifications, infrastructure repair, and sanitation improvements will move to the forefront.A sudden deluge dumped four months' worth of rainfall within a few hours, causing the Guadalupe River in Kerr County to rise 26 feet in under 60 minutes. This unprecedented flash flooding overwhelmed camps, cabins, and communities of the latest reports, at least 70 people have died across Central Texas, including 21 children. Kerr County alone reported 59 fatalities, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters in Texas history.
