How Texas floods turned summer-camp into tragedy for 750 girls
What's the story
A summer camp in Texas, United States, turned into a nightmare after flash floods swept through the area last week. Camp Mystic, a Christian girls' camp on the banks of the Guadalupe River, was housing 750 campers aged between nine and 16 when disaster struck on Friday. The floodwaters washed away cabins, and at least five girls have been confirmed dead, with many others still missing.
Camp history
About Camp Mystic
Camp Mystic was established in 1926 by University of Texas coach EJ "Doc" Stewart. Over the years, it became popular for its outdoor activities and skills training. Its website says it has long marketed itself as a place where girls can grow spiritually while also developing "outstanding personal qualities and self-esteem." The camp is now run by Dick and Tweety Eastland—who are the third generation to manage it. A video from before the flood showed girls dancing in matching T-shirts.
Campers missing
Floodwaters surged sweeping away cabins
The glee turned to gloom when the Guadalupe River swelled 26 feet (7.9 m) in less than an hour. The flooding that followed carried away mobile homes, cars, and vacation cabins where families were spending the Fourth of July weekend. Currently, 10 girls and a counselor are missing from Camp Mystic. The deceased have been identified as nine-year-old Lila Bonner, Janie Hunt (9), Sarah Marsh (8), Eloise Peck (8), and Renee Smajstrla (9).
Survivor stories
'Camp was completely destroyed': Survivors recount ordeal
An analysis by The New York Times revealed that many of the missing girls were in low-lying cabins less than 500 meters from the riverbank. Survivor Elinor Lester, 13, said the camp was "completely destroyed" and it was "really scary." Chloe Childress (18), a counselor at Camp Mystic, died while trying to save younger girls. Stella Thompson, another survivor, described "horrific" scenes during evacuation by military trucks. Rescue efforts are still underway, with authorities promising to find all missing campers.
Governor
Nearby camp also inundated
Texas Governor Greg Abbott called the devastation at Camp Mystic "horrendously ravaged in ways unlike I've seen in any natural disaster." Though Camp Mystic sustained the most damage, officials say the devastation was widespread. Nearby, the all-girls camp Heart O' the Hills was also inundated. Jane Ragsdale, the co-owner and director, was among those killed. Fortunately, camp was not in session at the time. There were an unknown number of other campers in the vicinity throughout the holiday weekend.
Federal aid
Trump declares major disaster in Texas
President Donald Trump has declared a major disaster for Kerr County, activating the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to assist in recovery efforts. He said he would "probably" visit Texas on Friday. The floods have also caused widespread destruction across central Texas, with at least 82 dead and several missing. Scientists attribute such extreme weather events to climate change, making them more frequent and intense.