NAIROBI, Kenya — What was supposed to be a picture-perfect summer adventure for hundreds of girls quickly turned into a terrifying race for survival.
On Friday, a catastrophic flash flood surged through Kerr County, Texas, killing at least 24 people and leaving rescuers scrambling to find over 20 girls missing from a riverside camp.
Camp Mystic, located on the usually serene Guadalupe River, turned into the epicenter of disaster overnight. Torrential rainfall—nearly 12 inches in just hours—sent the river rising an astonishing 26 feet in 45 minutes, turning cabins and trees into floating debris and chaos.
“This is a mass casualty event,” said Freeman Martin, Director of Texas Public Safety. And the search is far from over.
Roughly 750 children were attending Camp Mystic when the flood hit. Officials say around 23 girls remain unaccounted for, though Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick emphasized that “missing” doesn’t necessarily mean lost.
“They could be in trees or somewhere without communication,” he told reporters.
Camp Mystic—a staple of summer in the region—is nestled on the banks of one of the most flood-prone rivers in the U.S.
But according to Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, no one saw this storm coming. “We didn’t know this flood was coming,” he said, despite the area’s frequent history of rising waters.
This event comes less than a month after flash flooding killed 10 people in San Antonio, again raising concerns about emergency preparedness amid a surge in climate-driven extreme weather.
Rescue Efforts: 500+ Personnel, 14 Helicopters, and Counting
With 237 people already rescued, Texas has launched one of the largest emergency response operations in its recent history. Helicopters have hoisted victims from rooftops and treetops. Trucks arrived at the flooded camp to evacuate stranded girls, and dramatic airlifts were caught on video and shared by Governor Greg Abbott on X.
“We will not stop until everyone is accounted for,” Abbott said, adding that he had signed a disaster declaration to deploy more resources.
The Texas National Guard and U.S. Coast Guard are working alongside local responders in search-and-rescue efforts that have gone on around the clock. Still, dozens of roads remain impassable, and officials are urging residents to steer clear of the area.
What’s Next: More Rain, More Danger
If you’re thinking the worst is over—think again. Officials are now warning of a second wave of heavy rainfall that could impact neighboring counties.
Kerr County officials insist the flood arrived without warning, but weather forecasters had issued alerts urging residents to move to higher ground.
“This is not going to end today,” Martin said. And experts agree. Scientists have long warned that human-driven climate change is fueling more frequent and intense flash floods, heatwaves, and droughts. This event, tragically, is now part of that growing list.
And it’s not just Texas. In New Jersey, a severe storm claimed at least two more lives Friday when a tree crushed a vehicle during intense winds.
