Texas Floods: 51 Dead, 27 Girls Missing After Historic Flash Flood at Summer Camp

Devastating Flooding in Central Texas

• 💔 Central Texas is grappling with catastrophic flooding, with at least 43 confirmed deaths and 27 people still missing.
• 🌊 The Guadalupe River rose more than 20 feet in two hours, overwhelming the landscape with a surge of water.
• ⏱️ Rescuers have been working for nearly 48 hours, with nearly a thousand people already saved from the floodwaters.

Tragedy at All-Girls Summer Camp

• 🏕️ Floodwaters surged through an all-girls summer camp in Hunt, Texas, leaving a scene of agony, mud, and ruin.
• 👧 More than two dozen girls are still missing after being awoken by the sound of the raging river.
• 😔 Governor Greg Abbott visited the campground, acknowledging the shift from joy and optimism to devastation.

Search and Rescue Efforts

• 🌲 Survivors were found in trees, and boats were used in the search, but the grim reality of finding bodies has set in.
• 🚗 Campgrounds were decimated, with reports of 28 RVs being washed away.
• 🆘 Governor Abbott has instructed state agencies to assume all missing persons are alive, emphasizing that every minute counts.

River Levels and Warnings

• 📈 The Guadalupe River reached 26 feet, marking the second-highest recorded height in history.
• ⚠️ Officials noted that the rapid rise of the river and the intensity of the rain made escape nearly impossible, with predictions being significantly off.
• ❓ The effectiveness of National Weather Service alerts and the preparedness of local and federal authorities are being questioned.

Federal Disaster Declaration

• 🤝 Federal government support is being mobilized after Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a federal disaster declaration.
• 🗣️ The governor has pledged to address concerns about potential failures in the warning systems with federal officials.