In a tragic turn of events, approximately two dozen girls attending a Christian summer camp in Texas are unaccounted for, following a devastating flood that has already claimed at least 13 lives. The girls were attending Camp Mystic, located near the Guadalupe River in Hunt, a suburb of San Antonio in Kerr County. The announcement was made by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick during a press conference on Friday.
Patrick emphasized that the missing status of the girls does not necessarily mean they are lost. They could be stranded in trees or out of communication range. The hope is that all those missing will be found alive. The flood has already resulted in 13 confirmed deaths in Kerr County, with several more individuals still missing.
The girls’ camp was evacuated overnight due to the heavy rainfall, which reached up to 10 inches. However, some campers were left behind. The flooding reportedly caused some cabins to be washed away and roads to be washed out. While some of the children have been located and are stranded, around 23 of the 750 campers at Mystic are still unaccounted for.
Rescue efforts are in full swing, with up to 500 rescue workers and 18 helicopters searching the area for survivors. The state has also deployed additional resources, including 40 helicopters, 12 drones, and nine dive and rescue teams. Patrick assured the public that every effort is being made to locate the missing children.
In an email to families, camp staff informed them of the situation, noting that the camp had lost power, water, and Wi-Fi. The email assured parents that if they had not been personally contacted, their child was accounted for. The camp is struggling to get more help due to the highway being washed away.
Camp Mystic is a Christian summer camp for girls aged between 7 and 17. Parents have been urged not to rush to the camp due to the dangerous conditions. Instead, buses will transport the rescued girls to reunite with their families as soon as they are found.
Children at other surrounding camps have been accounted for. Camp La Junta, an all-boys camp also at the lake when the flood started, confirmed that all their campers were safe. However, Patrick did admit that some of the missing campers could be among the bodies found during the flood searches.
The situation has been described as “devastating flooding” by Gov. Greg Abbott. The Guadalupe River near Hunt reached its second-highest level on record amid the flash flooding emergency. More rainfall is expected, which will contribute to continued flooding. An evacuation order has been issued for Kerr County, with residents ordered to move to higher ground.
The Texas National Guard was activated on Thursday night and is conducting helicopter searches throughout Hunt and Kerrville. The US Coast Guard and the Federal Emergency Management Agency are also assisting. President Trump has been notified and the White House has assured Texas that they will receive whatever help they need.