As the death toll from the catastrophic flooding in Texas climbs past 80, harrowing accounts are surfacing of families torn apart, childhoods lost, and acts of unimaginable bravery in the face of disaster. Among the victims: young campers swept away in their sleep, beloved grandparents, and a father who sacrificed his life to save his family.

A Father’s Final Act of Heroism

Julian Ryan, 27, died a hero.

In the early hours of Friday morning, floodwaters surged into his family’s trailer home in Ingram, Texas. As the Guadalupe River rapidly rose by more than 20 feet, Ryan sprang into action. With water up to his chest, he placed his two children — a 13-month-old and a 6-year-old — on floating mattresses to keep them above the deluge.

When the bedroom door jammed shut under pressure, Ryan smashed a window to help his fiancée, their kids, and his mother escape. The glass severed an artery in his arm.

“There were multiple calls to 911,” said Christinia Wilson, Ryan’s fiancée. “But they didn’t answer. He looked at us and said, ‘I’m sorry, I’m not going to make it. I love y’all.’”

His mother held him as he died, his sister Connie Salas told CNN. “He went out a hero,” she said. “Our last words were, ‘I’m scared.’ And he said, ‘Me too.’”

Flood Ravages Kerr County Campsites

In the darkness, the flood hit Camp Mystic — a Christian all-girls camp — with devastating force. Photos show torn-apart cabins, scattered mattresses, and entire walls ripped away by the water.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott described the camp as “horrendously ravaged.”

Twenty-seven campers went missing as the river overtook the area. By the weekend, the deaths of four girls had been confirmed:

• Renee Smajstrla, 8, was recovered Friday.
• Janie Hunt, 9, was confirmed dead by her mother Saturday.
• Sarah Marsh and Lila Bonner were also confirmed deceased by their families.

“We ache with all who loved her,” the Bonner family said in a statement. Alabama Sen. Katie Britt posted on Facebook that she was “heartbroken” over Sarah Marsh’s loss.

Sisters Lost, Grandparents Still Missing

Sisters Blair, 13, and Brooke Harber, 11, were among those killed in the floods. Their father confirmed their deaths Saturday.

“Blair was a gifted student and had a generous kind heart,” he said. “Brooke was like a light in any room… she made people laugh.”

Their grandparents, Charlene and Mike Harber, remain missing and are presumed dead.

Beloved Camp Director Swept Away

Jane Ragsdale, longtime co-owner and director of Heart O’ the Hills camp, was also killed. Her camp wasn’t in session, but she was on site when the floodwaters came.

Ragsdale was known as the “heart and soul” of the girls’ camp and left a legacy of mentorship and music. A recent video showed her singing “Let There Always Be A Song” with campers. The lyrics now echo with new meaning: “When you sing you say, life is good today. So keep singing till we meet again.”

A Community Mourns a Coach and His Wife

Reece Zunker, head boys soccer coach at Tivy High School, and his wife Paula also died in the floods.

Zunker was remembered as “a mentor, teacher and role model” in a tribute from the school’s team. His niece confirmed his death on Saturday. The couple’s two children remain missing.

A Life of Service Cut Short

Dr. Katheryn Eads, a dedicated psychologist and college professor, was among the victims.

“She was an incredible wife, daughter, mother, grandmother, and person who spent her life helping kids,” her daughter Victoria Eads said in a statement. “Trying to figure out our lives without her is a possibility we never planned to face.”

As rescue operations continue across central Texas, the scale of the tragedy is still unfolding. Survivors and families now face the difficult task of grieving — and rebuilding — in the wake of one of the deadliest flood disasters in recent Texas history.

Source: CNN – A father who died saving his family, children at summer camp, a loving grandmother: The faces of the Texas flooding tragedy

The post Texas Flood Tragedy: Heartbreaking Stories of the Victims Behind the Rising Death Toll appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.

Rescuers continued a grim search across central Texas on Saturday as at least 51 people were confirmed dead and 27 girls remained missing following catastrophic flash floods that tore through Kerr County and surrounding areas.

The dead include 15 children, many swept away when floodwaters surged through Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along the Guadalupe River. Authorities say more than 850 people have been rescued in the past 36 hours.

Flash Flood Hits Overnight, Catches Camps and Residents Off Guard

The flooding struck shortly after midnight Friday, when the Guadalupe River rose 26 feet in just 45 minutes, turning popular campgrounds into death traps. Homes, roads, and vehicles were submerged or destroyed as water rapidly engulfed the area.

In Kerrville, officials described the scale of the disaster as historic, with uprooted trees, wrecked cabins, and entire communities cut off. The riverbanks, lined with long-standing youth camps, were especially crowded due to the July 4th holiday weekend, complicating efforts to track who may still be missing.

“We don’t even want to begin to estimate at this time,” said Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice.

Camp Mystic Devastated as Parents Search for Children

The heart of the tragedy is Camp Mystic, where dozens of young girls were caught in the storm. Elinor Lester, 13, described the chaos as cabins flooded in the night.

“A helicopter landed and started taking people away. It was really scary,” she said.

Rescuers guided campers across a submerged bridge using ropes. One confirmed victim is an 8-year-old girl from Alabama, another the director of a neighboring camp.

Online, frantic parents posted photos and pleas for help locating missing loved ones. As of Saturday evening, no updated figure had been given for the total number still unaccounted for.

Was There Enough Warning?

Officials are now facing questions about whether there was sufficient advance warning to evacuate camps and riverside homes. Both AccuWeather and the National Weather Service said they issued flash flood warnings hours before the flooding began.

“These warnings should have provided officials with ample time to evacuate camps such as Camp Mystic,” AccuWeather said in a statement, pointing to the Hill Country’s well-documented vulnerability to sudden floods.

Despite the alerts, Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said no one anticipated the storm’s intensity:

“We know we get rains. We know the river rises. But nobody saw this coming.”

Neighboring Camps Took Precautions — Some Evacuated

Other camps in the region were more fortunate. Mo-Ranch Camp relocated several hundred campers to higher ground in advance. Organizers at Camps Rio Vista and Sierra Vista also posted weather updates the day before ending their summer sessions.

The terrain in Texas Hill Country—known as “flash flood alley”—is infamous for its runoff-prone limestone soil and low water crossings, increasing the danger during heavy rain.

Austin Dickson of the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, which is collecting donations, said, “When it rains, water doesn’t soak into the soil—it rushes down the hill.”

Emotional Stories of Survival and Loss

Across the region, harrowing survival stories are emerging.

In Ingram, Erin Burgess and her teenage son clung to a tree for nearly an hour after water inundated their home.

“My boyfriend and dog floated away,” she said. “We found them—but it was terrifying.”

Elsewhere, Barry Adelman’s family, including his 94-year-old grandmother and 9-year-old grandson, fled to the attic of their three-story home.

“I had to look my grandson in the face and tell him it was going to be OK… but I was scared to death.”

Massive Search and Rescue Effort Underway

Search crews have been working around the clock, using helicopters, drones, and boats to locate survivors and recover victims. Coast Guard aircraft have enabled operations to continue even after dark.

Gov. Greg Abbott declared Sunday a day of prayer and pledged full support, as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and federal agencies deployed additional resources.

“We’re looking in every possible location,” said City Manager Rice.

A Community Begins to Grieve—and Rebuild

While some families have reunited at an elementary school reunification center, many are still searching. Bobby Templeton, superintendent of Ingram ISD, said, “We’ve had a little success, but not much.”

From above, Judge Kelly saw the devastation firsthand during a helicopter tour.

“The rescue has gone as well as can be expected. It’s getting time now for the recovery. And that’s going to be a long, toilsome task for us.”

The county had previously considered installing a siren-based flood alert system but abandoned the plan due to cost concerns. Now, many are wondering whether lives could have been saved.

Key Stats at a Glance:

• Confirmed dead: 51 (including 15 children)
• Still missing: At least 27 girls from Camp Mystic
• Rescued: Over 850 people
• Hardest hit: Kerr County and surrounding Hill Country communities
• Current conditions: Continued rain, flash flood warnings remain in effect

Source: AP News – Texas floods leave at least 51 dead, 27 girls missing as rescuers search devastated landscape

The post At Least 51 Dead, 27 Girls Missing as Historic Floods Devastate Central Texas appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.

Rescue efforts continue across Kerr County after torrential rains triggered devastating flash floods, leaving at least 24 dead and more than 20 girls still unaccounted for from a nearby summer camp.

Catastrophic Flooding Hits Texas Hill Country

The Texas Hill Country was rocked by deadly flash floods on the Fourth of July, with rainfall levels described by officials as a once-in-a-century event. The sudden downpour caused rivers to rise at alarming speeds, sweeping through towns and rural campsites in Kerr County.

More than 230 people have been rescued or evacuated, many by helicopter, as floodwaters surged through neighborhoods and popular summer destinations.

Among the most urgent efforts is the search for over 20 girls still missing from Camp Mystic, a private Christian summer camp located along the Guadalupe River near Hunt, Texas. The river reportedly rose more than 20 feet in under two hours.

Residents and Campers Caught Off Guard

Many residents and campers were caught by surprise as waters rose rapidly during the early morning hours.

“We had to drive over live power lines to get out because the only other way was underwater,” Kerrville resident Candice Taylor told CNN affiliate KENS. She rejected the notion that people had adequate warning:

“Anybody who says, ‘This was forecasted. Why didn’t you watch the news?’ — that’s callous.”

Local fisherman Zerick Baldwin echoed her sentiment, grateful he had canceled a camping trip the night before:

“If I would’ve slept in my truck or something, I would have been gone… The waters came so quickly.”

The Latest: Death Toll Rises, Search Expands

State officials provided an update Friday night as search and rescue teams continued working through the night:

• Death toll: At least 24 confirmed dead in Kerr County. Officials have yet to release identities or a full count of the missing.

• Camp Mystic campers: Over 20 girls from the riverside camp remain unaccounted for. Other nearby camps reported no missing persons.

• Rescues: 237 individuals rescued so far, according to Major General Thomas M. Suelzer of the Texas Military Department. Over two-thirds were airlifted by helicopter.

• Search efforts: At least 14 helicopters, 12 drones, and more than 500 personnel are involved. Some individuals were rescued from trees.

• Overnight operations: Search crews, aided by helicopters equipped with infrared technology, are operating through the night and into Saturday morning.

Families Desperate for News

The lack of information has left many families in anguish. Some parents have taken to social media, posting photos of their children in hopes of receiving any updates.

Two mothers interviewed by CNN said they are still waiting to hear if their daughters survived.

Weather Warnings Fell Short

Although a flood watch was issued Thursday afternoon for Kerr County, officials say the National Weather Service did not anticipate the extreme volume of rainfall that would follow.

At 4:03 a.m. Friday, a flash flood emergency warning was issued, followed by a “particularly dangerous situation” alert for Kerrville at 5:34 a.m.

Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, said:

“The forecast did not predict the amount of rain we saw.”

Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly added:

“We’ve had floods before… but we had no reason to believe this would be anything like what happened here.”

Federal Response Underway

President Donald Trump said Friday evening that the federal government is coordinating with Texas officials on the emergency response.

“We’ll take care of them,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One. “The flooding is terrible and shocking.”

Governor Greg Abbott has issued a statewide disaster declaration, ensuring additional resources are available for response and recovery.

What’s Next?

Governor Abbott confirmed that search operations will continue nonstop, emphasizing the use of advanced night-time aerial technology to locate potential survivors.

“They will continue in the darkness of night… They will be nonstop, seeking to find everybody who is unaccounted for,” he said.

As the sun rises over central Texas, rescue teams remain in crisis mode — working tirelessly to locate the missing and support affected families.

Source: CNN – Death toll from Texas floods rises to 24 as search underway for more than 20 girls unaccounted for

The post Texas Flash Floods Kill 24, Over 20 Campers Still Missing as Search Continues appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.

Devastating Texas Floods Leave 24 Dead, Over 20 Campers Missing in Kerr County

Severe flooding in Central Texas has claimed at least 24 lives, with dozens more missing—many of them children attending a summer camp—according to local officials. Rescue operations are underway around the clock as federal and state agencies race to find survivors.

Governor Issues Disaster Declaration as Search Expands

Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration Friday evening for multiple counties hit hardest by the floods, including Kerr, Kendall, Llano, and others.

“We’ll put in everything we have in the entire state,” Abbott said during a press conference in Kerrville. “They will have access to every tool, strategy, and personnel that Texas can offer.”

The declaration enables affected regions to receive immediate state and federal support.

President Trump Responds: “We’ll Take Care of Them”

President Donald Trump, speaking aboard Air Force One en route to New Jersey, called the flooding “terrible” and pledged full federal assistance.

“It’s shocking. Some young people have died. We’re working closely with the governor. We’ll take care of them,” Trump said.

Camp Mystic: Over 20 People Still Missing

Authorities say that between 23 and 25 people—mostly children—from Camp Mystic in Kerr County remain unaccounted for. The camp sits near the Guadalupe River, which rose more than 20 feet in just 90 minutes during a historic rainfall event early Friday.

Texas Game Wardens and aviation units reached the camp midday Friday and began evacuating children. So far, Camp Mystic remains the only riverside camp with missing persons.

“We’re focused on those who can’t help themselves right now,” said Nim Kidd, Chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management.

Helicopter Rescues and Infrared Searches Continue Overnight

As of Friday night, 237 people have been rescued or evacuated, with 167 airlifted by helicopter, according to Major General Thomas M. Suelzer.

Three additional helicopters are en route to support overnight rescue missions. Equipped with infrared technology, these helicopters will help search crews locate individuals even in the dark.

“Search and rescue operations will continue nonstop, through the night and into tomorrow,” Gov. Abbott confirmed.

Heartbreaking Scenes at Reunification Center in Ingram

Ingram, Texas, has become the central hub for reuniting rescued campers with their families. At Ingram Elementary, school buses and military vehicles delivered dozens of shaken children into the arms of emotional parents.

“I just want to go home,” one child was overheard telling her parent.

Helicopters were seen landing at the reunification center, where yellow buses brought in more rescued children throughout the day.

Eyewitnesses Share Harrowing Stories of Escape

Residents across Kerr County have described terrifying flood experiences. In Hunt, Maria and Felipe Tapia said they woke up to water flooding their home and had to swim to safety.

“We got out right on time. I felt like I was swimming under a river,” Felipe said.

Flooding Surpasses 1987 Records

According to the National Weather Service, the Guadalupe River in Hunt reached its second-highest level on record—surpassing even the devastating 1987 flood.

Rainfall in the area exceeded 6.5 inches within just three hours—an event with only a 1% likelihood of occurring in any given year.

“This is a very dangerous and life-threatening flood event,” the NWS warned. “Move to higher ground!”

Counties Included in Disaster Declaration:

• Kerr

• Kendall

• Llano

• Bandera

• Comal

• Concho

• Gillespie

• Kimble

• Mason

• McCulloch

• Menard

• Reeves

• San Saba

• Tom Green

What’s Next?

Authorities say search operations will remain active throughout the weekend. Shelters have been set up across the region, and evacuees are being tracked and cared for.

Officials urge residents to remain off roads and avoid flooded areas as crews continue life-saving work.

How to Stay Safe During a Flood Emergency

How FEMA Disaster Assistance Works

Source: CNN – At least 24 dead in Central Texas flooding, 20 campers unaccounted for

The post Texas Flooding Kills 24, Over 20 Campers Missing in Kerr County Disaster appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.