President Donald Trump announced Saturday that his administration is coordinating with state and local officials in Texas to respond to severe flooding that has claimed at least 27 lives and left dozens missing. He added that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is en route to the state to assist with the response efforts.
“The Trump Administration is working with State and Local Officials on the ground in Texas in response to the tragic flooding that took place yesterday. Our Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, will be there shortly. Melania and I are praying for all of the families impacted by this horrible tragedy. Our Brave First Responders are on site doing what they do best. GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS!” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
Between 23 and 25 individuals from Camp Mystic summer camp remain missing, most of them believed to be young girls. River levels near the camp surged by 29 feet in a short period, contributing to the crisis. The U.S. National Weather Service reported that the flash flood emergency has mostly subsided in Kerr County—the area hardest hit—after storms dropped up to a foot of rain early Friday.
However, a flood watch remains in effect until 7 p.m. Saturday across the San Antonio-Austin region. Scattered showers are expected throughout the day, according to Allison Santorelli, a meteorologist with the NWS Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland, Newsmax reported.
Three young girls were confirmed dead after a catastrophic flood tore through Camp Mystic, an all-girls private Christian camp in Hunt, Texas. Anne Hunt told Fox News Digital that her daughter, Janie, was among the victims. The nonprofit A Voice for the Voiceless, which supports missing persons and crime victims, identified another camper, Renee Smajstrla, as the second fatality.
The third victim has also been confirmed, but her family has requested that her name be withheld from the public, Fox News added. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, shared photos Saturday of the damage to Camp Mystic, taken during a helicopter tour following the flood. Buildings appeared to be either completely washed away or reduced to rubble, the outlet said.
