Latest news with #JoeHerring
New York Times
an hour ago
- Climate
- New York Times
Likelihood of Finding Texas Flood Survivors Fades as Death Toll Passes 100
Rescuers and volunteers continued to hack through fallen trees and piles of debris in search of flood survivors on Monday. But the chances of finding anyone alive, four days after surging waters began tearing through Central Texas, grew increasingly remote. Those who survive being swept away in a violent flood are typically found rapidly, even if it is miles from where they went into the water, said Chris Boyer, the executive director of the National Association for Search and Rescue. And they often have serious injuries. 'You've got to get to those folks quick,' Mr. Boyer said. But, he added, 'with floods, you don't typically find a lot of people alive.' Even as they continued to project hope, officials in Texas on Monday began suggesting that their efforts were transitioning from rescuing the missing to recovering their bodies. 'This will be a rough week,' said Mayor Joe Herring Jr. of Kerrville, the seat of Kerr County, where at least 84 people died. 'We need your prayers.' The death toll climbed on Monday across several counties of Hill Country, west of Austin, and reached at least 104 for the state. That number includes 27 campers and counselors at Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp, from which 10 campers and a 19-year-old counselor remained missing. The question of when to shift from rescue to recovery is always a difficult one, and there is no hard and fast rule for when to do so, according to Mr. Boyer, who was formerly in charge of a search-and-rescue team at the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office, outside San Francisco. 'It's a very personal decision by that community and the community leaders about when to start discussing recovery,' Mr. Boyer said. 'You don't want to start using the word 'recovery' too soon. But you also don't want to give false hope.' Given the magnitude of the flash flood, he added, it is increasingly unlikely that the missing will be found alive. Some of the bodies may not be recovered at all, or only after many months. 'The community has to work through that,' he said.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Texas Officials Say 'This Will Be a Rough Week' as Death Toll from Flooding Surpasses 100
In the latest update, officials from Kerr County said that 84 bodies have been recovered, including 28 children 10 campers and one counselor from Camp Mystic remain unaccounted for Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring said during a press conference that as search efforts continue, "we remain hopeful"As the death toll from the Texas flooding disaster continues to rise, officials are offering their sympathies — and stressing that search efforts for all who remain missing will continue. In an update on the morning of Monday, July 7, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said that the bodies of 75 people had been recovered across the country — hours later, that number increased to 84, including 56 adults and 28 children. The latest news brings the total number of victims to at least 104, according to the Associated Press and NBC News. Of the deceased, identification is still pending for 22 adults and 10 children. In the same afternoon update, officials confirmed that 10 young girls from Camp Mystic, a Christian girls' camp nestled in Texas Hill Country, as well as one camp counselor remain unaccounted for along. In a message on their website, the camp said they were mourning the loss of 27 campers and counselors. During the morning press conference, Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring acknowledged how hard it is to have to wait for answers about loved ones. 'I need to tell my community and those families who are waiting – this will be a rough week,' Herring remarked, sharing that officials "remain hopeful every foot, every mile, every bend of the river." City manager Dalton Rice added that the search is still in its primary phase, and that anybody looking to volunteer should contact the Salvation Army in Kerrville. At another point during the press conference, reflecting on the loss of life at Camp Mystic, Sen. Ted Cruz said that "the pain and agony of not knowing your child's whereabouts, it's the worst thing imaginable." 'Everyone would agree, in hindsight, if we could go back and do it again, we would evacuate,' he added, according to CNN. 'Particularly those in the most vulnerable areas — the young children in the cabins closest to the water, we would remove them and get them to higher ground, if we could go back and do it again.' Amid ongoing criticism about how the response to the natural disaster was handled, Cruz argued against "partisan finger pointing" and went on to express faith that the Lone Star state will begin to heal eventually. 'We will come through this," Cruz said. "To those in the midst of grief right now, that might seem hard to fathom, but Texas will come through this.' To learn how to help support the victims and recovery efforts from the Texas floods, click here. Read the original article on People
Elle
5 hours ago
- Climate
- Elle
How You Can Support Families Affected by the Texas Floods
The recent flooding in Texas Hill Country is thought to be among the deadliest the U.S. has experienced in the past 100 years, according to The New York Times. As of Monday, at least 88 people have been confirmed dead, including at least 28 children, many of whom were campers at the local Camp Mystic. Searchers are desperately looking for those still missing, as weather reports warn of new flood risks near the area. The floods began early on the morning of July 4, when the area around the Guadalupe River was full with people celebrating the holiday weekend and the area's many overnight camps were in session. Flash floods caused the river to rise 26 feet in 45 minutes, Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring said. Many people failed to receive alerts and were caught off guard by the early-morning storm. The number of child deaths makes the disaster even more heartbreaking. Camp Mystic, a nearly 100-year-old summer camp in Kerr County, had 750 girls enrolled at the time of the flood. Most were able to escape to higher ground, but a number of young girls were in cabins located much closer to the river. The camp has been a favorite of political families—Lyndon B. Johnson's children and grandchildren went there, and Laura Bush was once a camp counselor. According to the Austin American-Statesman, the camp's director Dick Eastland also died on July 4 while trying to rescue campers. Many people are questioning whether better alert systems and evacuation plans could have saved lives. 'There's going to be a lot of finger-pointing, a lot of second-guessing, and Monday morning quarterbacking,' said Republican U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, whose congressional district includes Kerr County, Texas. 'There's a lot of people saying 'why' and 'how,' and I understand that.' If you're looking for ways to support those affected by the floods, here are some organizations that are helping. Serving the hard hit area of Kerr County, the fund will provide grants to nonprofits, first responders, and local government working in response, relief, and recovery. Visit the Website The Red Cross and partner organizations are providing emergency and reunification shelters. They also have volunteers providing mental health services that can be accessible by phone. Texas Search and Rescue is a nonprofit volunteer organization that provides search and rescue efforts. They have deployed volunteers, K-9 units, and boats for a long-term search and rescue mission. The José Andrés-founded organization, which has provided food in disaster-hit areas like Gaza, Haiti, and Ukraine, has set up an operation in central Texas. Visit the Website The pediatric hospital system has launched a fund that will support flood victims directly, as well as programming designed to serve those who were impacted. Visit the Website The organization's Emergency Disaster Services division is in Central Texas serving meals, distributing essential personal items, and offering emotional and spiritual care.
CBS News
8 hours ago
- General
- CBS News
Texas flooding victims include 27 Camp Mystic campers and counselors, camp confirms
At least 27 campers and counselors from Camp Mystic in Texas died in devastating flash flooding that swept through the region, the camp announced Monday. More than 80 people have died in the flooding that struck Texas Hill Country on Friday. During a news conference Monday morning, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said 10 campers and one counselor were still unaccounted for as search and rescue operations continue. "Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy," the camp said in a statement on its website. "We are praying for them constantly." The camp expressed gratitude for the support it's received from people in the wake of the devastating floods. "We ask for your continued prayers, respect and privacy for each of our families affected," the camp said. "May the Lord continue to wrap His presence around all of us." Leitha told reporters Monday morning that official identifications for the remains of 15 adults and nine children recovered in Kerr County were still pending. "This will be a rough week," Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr. said. "Primary search continues, and we remain hopeful every foot, every mile, every bend of the river." About 750 children were at the camp when the flooding struck, Leitha has said. Camp Mystic describes itself as a private Christian summer camp for girls located on the banks of the Guadalupe River. The river rapidly rose early on the Fourth of July, catching many people off guard. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick told reporters Friday the river rose about 26 feet in 45 minutes. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has described the devastation at the camp as "nothing short of horrific" after visiting the site over the weekend. "It, and the river running beside it, were horrendously ravaged in ways unlike I've seen in any natural disaster," Abbott wrote on social media. "The height the rushing water reached to the top of cabins was shocking. We won't stop until we find every girl who was in those cabins." Items lie scattered inside a cabin at Camp Mystic after deadly flooding in Kerr County, Texas, July 5, 2025. Reuters/Sergio Flores Camp Mystic's owner and director Dick Eastland, 74, died while trying to save girls at the camp, according to local media reports. The victims from the camp also included 8-year-old Linnie McCown of Austin, her father confirmed to CBS News. Chloe Childress, an 18-year-old counselor from the Houston area who had just graduated from high school, also died in the storm, according to the Kinkaid School. Georgia Congressman Buddy Carter said his two grandchildren survived, but their cousin, 9-year-old Janie Hunt, died. She's related to Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt. "God has wrapped his arms around her," Carter told Fox News Channel. "And our thoughts and prayers are with all of those involved." Camp Mystic campers Eloise Peck, 8, and 9-year-old Lila Bonner also died in the flooding. Bonner's family confirmed to CBS Texas on Saturday that she was among the children confirmed dead and Peck's family on Sunday posted a note at their home saying she had died as well. The catastrophic flooding has triggered a massive response from authorities conducting rescue and recovery missions. According to Abbott, more than 1,500 state personnel have been deployed to the flood zone. , and contributed to this report.
Chicago Tribune
9 hours ago
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Editorial: Chicago mourns with Texas and the parents of the Camp Mystic girls
While many of us were enjoying July 4 festivities this past weekend, Texas Hill Country was plunged into disaster. The Guadalupe River rose 26 feet in just 45 minutes on July 4, with flash flooding killing at least 80 people statewide. As of a grim Monday morning tally, 41 people still were missing. What makes the story especially heartbreaking is that the flooding swept away young girls staying at Camp Mystic, a private Christian camp 85 miles outside of San Antonio. 'This came at night when people were asleep in bed,' Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring said Friday. Herring presides over the county seat of Kerr County, which was hit the hardest by the floods. Officials said the flooding and subsequent damage were unprecedented. There is something special about the summer rite of young kids leaving their families and heading to a bucolic rural setting, often making friends for life. Midwestern parents are very familiar with the ritual, which includes the nagging worry of leaving their kid in someone else's hands. Be it Camp Nebagamon or Camp Timber-lee, Lake of the Woods, Camp Agawak or the YMCA's Camp Copneconic and Phantom Lake, many of these camps in Wisconsin and Michigan have been around for decades and traffic in memory and tradition. Parents often send their kids where they went themselves. Where they had the time of their lives. Where they grew up. Many of those parents with kids at a summer camp right now felt a knot in their stomach when the news about those lost young girls broke this weekend, and that knot has yet to resolve itself. It likely won't, until the kids come back home. You learn a lot about yourself in a crisis. The same is true of our country. Who are we in this moment of relatable tragedy? We have a choice. In the immediate aftermath of what has happened, we can choose to politicize these events or we can choose to mourn the dead and honor the heroes who stopped death tolls from going even higher, even if it cost them their lives. Which in some cases, it did. The time for analysis and accountability will come. For now, we choose to grieve with the families. Dick Eastland, co-owner of Camp Mystic and the camp's director, died trying to save his young guests from the floodwaters. He reportedly was carried off by the floodwaters. 'It doesn't surprise me at all that his last act of kindness and sacrifice was working to save the lives of campers,' former camper and friend Paige Sumner wrote in the Kerrville Daily Times. 'He had already saved so many lives with the gift of Camp Mystic.' The flooding wasn't confined to the camp that is at the center of most of the news. Torrents of water swept through towns across the region, damaging hundreds of homes, washing away vehicles, and severing power and communication lines. Flash flood warnings covered large parts of Central Texas, and the National Weather Service recorded rainfall rates of more than 3 inches per hour. Because the flood hit overnight, many families did not sense the danger until there was no time to escape. Julian Ryan, 27, seriously injured himself saving his family during the disaster after his home began flooding – with his fiancée, children and mother inside. His family shared Ryan's final words: 'I'm sorry, I'm not going to make it. I love y'all.' It's hard to read his story without shedding a tear. His fiancée and son have lost not only a husband and father, but also a selfless protector. Many could not be saved. Among them were sisters Blair and Brooke Harber, ages 13 and 11, respectively, who were staying with their grandparents in a cabin that was swept away in the flood. They were found with their hands locked together. Their grandparents are still missing. The girls' parents were staying in a cabin nearby, The New York Times reported. Many of the youngest campers staying at Camp Mystic will never go home, including 8-year-old Sarah Marsh from Alabama. Her grandmother posted a tribute to her on Facebook, writing, '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 can imagine the many spunky young spirits camping at the river this past weekend; that's why the grief coursing through Texas is so intense. Many families still are waiting in the flood zone in the hopes that their loved ones will be retrieved, and, on Monday, first responders still were wading through mud and debris in an effort to find survivors. Entire communities have turned schools into shelters, church halls into donation centers and grief into action. But many families have already seen hope extinguished. And those who lost young daughters are living every parent's worst nightmare. We're all asking questions. What could have been done differently? Could the authorities — and which authorities? — have prevented this? Was the forecasting accurate? Were enough people on duty? Are basic safety systems adequate for riverside cabins in this most dangerous of river basins? For now, we're just so deeply sad that a girls' summer camp, of all places, was lost to the very river that had given generations of campers such joy.
