Texas officials on Friday night said between 23 and 25 girls from Camp Mystic are still unaccounted for after heavy flash floods devastated the area.
Earlier posts and images circulating on social media appeared to indicate that several of the 23-25 girls from the summer camp near the Guadalupe River in Hunt, Texas, had been rescued and accounted for. Texas State Rep. Ellen Troxclair told the public however to “be wary of unconfirmed reports” as the situation unfolds. It’s unclear if the girls who were pictured in the social media posts were some of the 23-25 unaccounted for, or other girls attending the camp who were rescued.
The area was hit with torrential rainfall that caused the river to rise more than 20 feet in 90 minutes.
Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp for girls between ages 7 and 17, is almost a century old. Texas Game Wardens posted on X earlier on Friday that they could get into the camp and start bringing campers out.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) issued a disaster declaration for several of the hardest-hit counties in the state after the flooding left at least 24 dead.
“We’ll put in everything we have in the entire state,” Abbott said. Emergency personnel have rescued or evacuated about 237 people, 167 of whom were rescued or evacuated by helicopter.
Earlier Friday, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R-TX) revealed up to 500 rescue workers and 18 helicopters were searching the area for any survivors on top of 40 helicopters, 12 drones, and nine dive and rescue teams already deployed by the state. At least 13 people have been killed.
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Arriving on Independence Day, the natural disaster caused many holiday events and celebrations to be canceled in the affected areas.
President Donald Trump is in contact with Texas officials about the developing situation, Patrick said. Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) are also getting updates from state and local officials as the rescue and recovery operation continues.