Texas Camp Flooding Tragedy: Inspectors Approved Camp Mystic's Emergency Plan Days Before Deadly Flash Flood Killed Dozens of Children at Christian Summer Camp
Texas Camp's Emergency Plan Scrutinized After Deadly Floods: Records reveal Camp Mystic met state disaster preparedness regulations, including evacuation procedures and staff assignments, just days before catastrophic flooding claimed over two dozen lives. However, released inspection reports offer limited details about the implemented emergency plan, raising concerns about the camp's readiness for the torrential rainfall
Texas Camp Mystic's flood preparedness questioned after deadly July 4th flooding. Five years of inspection reports reveal no details of the camp's emergency plans, raising concerns about its readiness for the torrential rainfall in the flood-prone Texas Hill Country, where over two dozen campers and counselors perished. The lack of information fuels scrutiny of pre-flood actions and weather monitoring
Texas flood watch issued July 3rd prompted at least one of eighteen Guadalupe River camps to relocate dozens of campers to safer, higher ground before deadly July 4th flooding
Questions surround Camp Mystic's flood preparedness after deadly Texas floods claimed over two dozen lives, mostly children. Despite state inspectors approving the camp's emergency plan just days before the tragedy, details regarding weather monitoring and evacuation procedures remain unclear, prompting scrutiny of local officials' responses. The lack of specific information in five years of inspection reports raises concerns about the camp's readiness for the catastrophic July 4th rainfall in the Texas Hill Country
Historic Camp Mystic, operating since 1926, suffered catastrophic flooding on July 4th. The Guadalupe River rapidly rose from 14 feet (4.2 meters) to 29.5 feet (9 meters) in just one hour, exceeding flood stage (10 feet/3 meters) and tragically resulting in over two dozen deaths. The camp's failure to evacuate amidst a severe flood warning raises serious questions about its emergency preparedness
Devastating Texas floods at Camp Mystic claimed over two dozen lives, including children, after a flash flood surged through the Guadalupe River. A sudden wall of water inundated cabins, tents, and trailers, forcing survivors to cling to trees for safety. The tragedy highlights concerns about the camp's emergency preparedness
Texas Camp Flooding Death Toll Rises: At least 27 dead, including beloved Camp Mystic director Richard "Dick" Eastland, with five campers and one counselor still missing after catastrophic Guadalupe River flooding. The tragedy raises questions about the camp's emergency preparedness despite recent state inspection approval
Nineteen-year-old Charlotte Lauten, a nine-time camper at Camp Mystic (most recently in 2023), reveals a lack of formal weather emergency training during her summers at the Texas camp. This revelation raises concerns about the camp's preparedness in light of the deadly July 4th flooding
Camp counselors received a week-long orientation covering emergency procedures before Camp Mystic opened, including disaster protocols and evacuation plans, according to a staff member
Darkness and lack of cell service likely hampered the girls' escape from the catastrophic Camp Mystic flooding. Campers were without phones, and the remote location prevented cell service, hindering their ability to call for help during the deadly July 4th storm
Camp Mystic's remote location, lacking electricity, plunged survivors into near-total darkness during the catastrophic Texas floods. One survivor described the night as pitch black, with visibility limited to just a few feet, highlighting the unprecedented darkness and unexpectedly clear view of the stars
Texas Camp Mystic's emergency plan, approved by state inspectors on July 2nd, faced scrutiny following deadly July 4th floods. The inspection, conducted the same day Texas activated emergency resources, occurred just two days before catastrophic flooding claimed over two dozen lives at the Christian summer camp. Questions remain regarding the camp's preparedness and evacuation procedures in the face of the severe weather event
Texas health and safety inspectors found Camp Mystic compliant with all regulations during multiple inspections preceding a deadly flood. The camp, with over 557 campers and 100 staff across its Guadalupe and Cypress Lake locations, passed reviews covering emergency procedures, evacuation plans, and staff responsibilities. These inspections, however, lacked details on specific disaster preparedness plans
Texas camp disaster plans, posted in all buildings but not filed with the state, were approved just days before deadly floods, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. The lack of detailed records raises questions about Camp Mystic's flood preparedness
“We do not have them,” Anton said in an email. “You’d have to get it from the camp.”
Camp Mystic did not respond to requests for comment on its emergency plan. In a statement on its website, the camp said it has been “in communication with local and state authorities who are tirelessly deploying extensive resources to search for our missing girls.”
Camps are responsible for developing their own emergency plan. Inspectors evaluate the plans to ensure they meet several state requirements, including procedures for evacuation.
“The inspector checked that they had plans posted for those elements in every building,” Anton said, “and that they had trained staff and volunteers on what to do.”
Camp Mystic is licensed by the state and a member of the Camping Association for Mutual Progress, which says its goal is to “raise health and safety standards” for summer camps. Leaders of that association didn’t return messages.
The American Camp Association said Tuesday that Camp Mystic is not accredited with that organization, whose standards focus on safety and risk management. Spokesperson Lauren McMillin declined to say whether the camp previously had been accredited with the association, which describes itself as “the only nationwide accrediting organization for all year-round and summer camps.”
One rain gauge about a mile (1.6 kilometers) from Camp Mystic recorded 9.5 inches (24 centimeters) of precipitation July 4, according to Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority data. Another of the agency’s gauges — further south and to the west — recorded 12.2 inches (31 centimeters) of precipitation. The authority told the AP that a review of its equipment found both were functioning during the flood event.
However, at least four United States Geological Survey gauges along the Guadalupe River experienced some level of failure July 4.
The gauges, located near Hunt and Kerrville, stopped collecting both river levels and the flow rate of water in the early morning hours of July 4.
One gauge, about 5 miles (8 kilometers) northeast of Camp Mystic, recorded a level of 29.5 feet (9 meters) at 4:35 a.m., according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data. It was the last recorded river level from the instrumentation until a USGS hydrologist installed a temporary gauge. At the time, the hydrologist measured the high water mark at 37.52 feet (11.44 meters).
At that location, a river level of 32 feet (9.75 meters) could lead to “disastrous life-threatening flooding,” which could cover the roads of the lowest camps and resorts, according to NOAA.
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This story has been updated to correct that the rain gauge that recorded 9.5 inches (24 centimeters) of precipitation was about a mile (1.6 kilometers) from Camp Mystic, not 1,500 feet (460 meters).
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Mustian reported from Miami, Keller from Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Foley from Iowa City, Iowa. Associated Press reporter Hannah Fingerhut contributed from Des Moines, Iowa.
Source: Original Article