Devastating Texas Floods Hit Camps, Search Continues For 24 Missing Girls/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Catastrophic floods swept through Texas Hill Country, killing at least 24 and leaving two dozen girls missing from Camp Mystic. Rescue teams are working urgently amid rising rivers and more rain forecasts. Heartbroken families wait for news as devastation hits beloved summer camps.
Texas Flood Disaster Quick Looks
- Texas Hill Country floods kill at least 24 people.
- About 24 girls from Camp Mystic still missing.
- Guadalupe River rose 26 feet in under an hour.
- Rescue teams deploy helicopters, drones for search.
- Parents plead for help finding missing campers.
- Campers describe harrowing escapes from raging waters.
- More rain threatens additional flooding across central Texas.
Deep Look
Desperate Search For Two Dozen Girls Missing From Camp Mystic As Deadly Texas Floods Devastate Hill Country
KERRVILLE, Texas (AP) — Texas authorities are racing to find at least two dozen missing girls from Camp Mystic after catastrophic floods swept the Hill Country, killing at least 24 people and leaving entire communities in shock and grief.
The disaster unfolded early Friday when powerful storms unleashed torrents of rain, causing the Guadalupe River to surge 26 feet in just 45 minutes, washing away homes, vehicles, and cherished summer camps. More rain is forecasted for Saturday, compounding the crisis.
“It was a harsh, sleepless night,” said Elinor Lester, 13, who escaped Camp Mystic as helicopters arrived to evacuate girls stranded by the rising floodwaters. Rescuers tied ropes across a bridge to help girls cross safely as the river whipped around their legs.
“The camp was completely destroyed,” Lester said.
Urgent Search Continues Amid Worsening Weather
Crews worked through the night with helicopters, drones, and boats scouring the flood zone for survivors. Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha confirmed 24 deaths and around 240 rescues so far. Officials fear the toll will rise as searchers reach isolated areas cut off by the raging waters.
Parents are desperate for news. Social media platforms are filled with photos of missing girls and pleas for help. At a reunification center in Ingram, emotional scenes played out as families reunited. One girl, drenched and trembling in a Camp Mystic T-shirt, sobbed in her mother’s arms.
Terrifying Scenes Of Survival
Residents recounted harrowing escapes. Erin Burgess in Ingram woke to thunder and pouring rain, only to find floodwaters swallowing her home minutes later. She and her son clung to a tree for an hour while her boyfriend and dog floated away.
“My son and I floated to a tree where we hung onto it,” Burgess said. “Thankfully he’s over 6 feet tall. That’s the only thing that saved me.”
Barry Adelman, 54, shared a chilling account of water forcing his family, including his 94-year-old grandmother and 9-year-old grandson, into the attic. Water started pouring through the attic floor before it finally receded.
“I was horrified,” he said. “I was having to look at my grandson in the face and tell him everything was going to be OK, but inside I was scared to death.”
No Warning System For Sudden Disaster
The flooding struck in the dead of night, catching many off guard despite weather alerts predicting 3 to 6 inches of rain. Instead, parts of central Texas saw rainfalls equivalent to months of precipitation within hours.
“It did not predict the amount of rain that we saw,” said Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management.
Kerr County officials acknowledged the absence of a local warning system that might have given residents more time to escape. “Rest assured, no one knew this kind of flood was coming,” said Judge Rob Kelly, the county’s top elected official.
Beloved Summer Camps Devastated
Texas Hill Country, nicknamed “flash flood alley” for its flood-prone terrain, is home to century-old summer camps beloved by generations of families. The region’s thin soil doesn’t absorb rain, causing water to rush downhill with deadly speed.
“When it rains, water doesn’t soak into the soil. It rushes down the hill,” said Austin Dickson, CEO of the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, which is collecting donations to help nonprofits responding to the disaster.
The river, usually a tranquil spot known for its clear blue waters, became a torrent of destruction.
“It’s generally a very tranquil river with really beautiful clear blue water that people have been attracted to for generations,” Dickson said.
More Rain Ahead
As search teams press on, forecasters warn of more storms and flash flood threats for parts of central Texas this weekend.
The heartbreaking reality for many families remains unchanged: dozens of children are still unaccounted for, and a region known for summer joy has been plunged into tragedy.
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