Texas officials approved Camp Mystic's operating plan days before the fatal floods
Share and Follow

Two days before flash floods on the Guadalupe River in Texas killed at least 27 campers and staff at a Christian girls summer camp, a state inspector was there to approve camp operations and noted there was a written plan for responding to natural disasters.

What that plan said, however, is unclear. Texas does not approve or keep copies of emergency plans; camps are only required to show they have a plan in place. Officials at Camp Mystic — still reeling from the deaths of campers, staffers and its director, and the ongoing search for others — could not be reached for comment on what the plan included or how the camp responded to Friday’s flood.

A muddy room with items strewn everywhere on the floor
The inside of a cabin at Camp Mystic on Saturday.Ronaldo Schemidt / AFP – Getty Images

Questions are swirling around the emergency response by state and local officials and whether the flood plan the camp laid out was adequate, or was even executed as the historic flash flood struck in the darkness.

Fed by pounding rainfall, the Guadalupe River in Kerr County rose more than 20 feet in one hour before dawn on Friday and crested at more than 34 feet later that morning; it had been roughly 1 foot deep since at least June 10.

The swollen river overwhelmed Camp Mystic, where counselors and campers awoke in the dark and tried to dash through rising water, some clinging to trees or scrambling up rocky escarpments. Many were swept away.

Wynne Kennedy, a former Camp Mystic employee, said that when she worked there, staff was trained on “extensive flood evacuation plans.” That was one of the reasons she felt comfortable sending her daughter, Lucy, 10, to Camp Mystic this summer. “I felt like she was in the safest place she could be,” Kennedy said.

Lucy said she survived the storm after fleeing her cabin and taking refuge in the recreation hall on higher ground with other campers and counselors.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Every Greenlander 'could be offered $1M if they vote to join the USA'

Greenland Residents May Be Offered $1 Million Each in Exchange for U.S. Integration Vote

Donald Trump is reportedly contemplating a bold strategy to potentially sway Greenlanders…
2 hikers in Olympic National Forest killed after tree falls on popular trail

Tragic Accident in Olympic National Forest: Falling Tree Claims Lives of Two Hikers on Beloved Trail

Last week, a tragic incident occurred in Washington state’s Olympic National Forest,…
"Ask For Anything You Want"

Discover How to Get Exactly What You Want with These Simple Tips

Here’s a hot take for you: If you’re going to partner with…
Georgia teen Lequan Stephens arrested after father turns him in following pair of shootings

Georgia Teen’s Arrest: Father Turns in Son After Involvement in Twin Shootings

In a turn of events that underscores the complexity of familial ties…
Top Trump admin education official exposes blue state financial aid fraud offenders

Former Trump Administration Education Official Unveils Financial Aid Fraud in Democratic-Led States

EXCLUSIVE: An official from the Trump administration’s Education Department has spotlighted two…
Early findings of Renee Good's independent autopsy released by law firm

Law Firm Unveils Initial Results from Renee Good’s Independent Autopsy

Romanucci & Blandin, the legal team advocating for the family of Renee…
Billionaires Elon Musk, Sam Altman fight over whose tech killed more people

Elon Musk and Sam Altman Engage in Debate Over the Impact of Their Technologies on Public Safety

In a heated exchange on Tuesday, OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman responded sharply…
Minneapolis ICE shooting: Independent autopsy of Renee Good released by Romanucci & Blandin, law firm in civil investigation

Independent Autopsy Report for Renee Good Released Amid Minneapolis ICE Shooting Investigation by Romanucci & Blandin Law Firm

MINNEAPOLIS — On Wednesday evening, the family of Renee Good received the…