Devastating Texas floods kill over 50, including kids at summer camp
Illustrative photo: Flood in Texas claims over 50 lives (Getty Images)
Central Texas is suffering from a massive flood that has already taken the lives of at least 51 people, according to Axios.
The disaster struck suddenly — among the victims were many children who were at a private girls' camp near the Guadalupe River.
What is known
The flood began on the morning of July 4 near the Guadalupe River, about 100 km northwest of San Antonio.
Due to heavy rainfall, the water rapidly overflowed the banks, flooding camps, roads, and residential areas. The hardest-hit counties are Kerr, Travis, Burnet, and Kendall.
In Kerr County, where the private girls' camp Mystic is located, the bodies of 43 victims have been found. Among them, 12 adults and five children remain unidentified.
At the camp, 27 girls are still considered missing.
Local authorities also confirmed eight more deaths in neighboring counties:
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4 in Travis County (Austin)
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3 in Burnet County
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1 in Kendall County
Among the deceased are the director of the Mystic camp, Dick Eastland, and three girls aged 8–9: Lila Bonner, Janie Hunt, and Sarah Marsh.
What officials say
"I got to see first-hand many of the body bags, and it breaks my heart," said Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly.
US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem promised to modernize the early warning system.
Rescue operations are ongoing. Search teams are using dogs, drones, and aircraft. The rain continues, and water levels in some areas keep rising.
Water levels in Texas rose to 8 meters within just 45 minutes, washing away roads and even ambulance vehicles. In some places, the water reached nearly 9 meters.
On July 5, Sheriff Larry Leitha reported at an evening press conference that over 230 people had been evacuated or rescued on Friday, many with the help of helicopters.
