Texas Floods: 100+ Dead, Girls Missing! Can History Repeat Itself?

Tragedy has struck Central Texas as devastating floods following the July 4th weekend have claimed the lives of over 100 people. The hardest-hit area is Kerr County, where a heartbreaking number of fatalities, including children, have been reported. Search efforts are ongoing, with a particular focus on locating ten girls still missing from Camp Mystic.

Rising Death Toll and Desperate Search

The death toll continues to climb as rescue teams navigate the flood-ravaged areas. Officials have confirmed that over 850 people have been rescued, but the search for the missing girls and other potential victims continues. Williamson and Travis counties have been added to the disaster declaration, highlighting the widespread impact of the flooding.

Other Central Texas counties have also reported fatalities, including Travis County with seven deaths, Kendall County with six, Burnet County with at least four, Williamson County with two, and Tom Green County with one.

Echoes of the Past: Survivor Recalls 1987 Flood

Adding to the eerie atmosphere, a survivor of the devastating 1987 Texas floods has recounted a strikingly similar experience to the Camp Mystic tragedy. Rev. Richard Koons, a former camp counselor, described how a sudden rainstorm caused the Guadalupe River to swell rapidly, inundating his church camp and forcing a desperate evacuation.

Koons vividly remembers how a bus carrying campers was cut off by the floodwaters, leading to a harrowing rescue effort. Campers climbed onto the bus roof and then to nearby trees, using improvised ropes to pull each other to safety. Tragically, ten people were swept away and killed in that 1987 flood.

"The water that day was traveling 70 miles an hour," Koons recalled. "There was a guy, I remember, who jumped in the water trying to rescue somebody... And he broke his ribs and had to be rescued. That's just how fast it was going."

Road Closures and Safety Warnings

Roads and low water crossings across several counties, including Travis, Williamson, Hays, Bastrop, Caldwell, Lee, and Fayette, remain closed due to the flooding. Authorities are urging residents to heed the warning: "Turn Around, Don't Drown" and to avoid these dangerous areas. Motorists are advised to use only major roads.

The situation remains critical, and ongoing monitoring and caution are essential as Central Texas continues to grapple with the aftermath of this devastating flooding.

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