William Brangham:
This area is home to a number of children’s summer camps. For a century, girls have flocked the Camp Mystic on the banks of the river. Today, the camp confirmed 27 members of its tight-knit community were killed, mostly young campers, like 8-year-old Sarah Marsh, as well as mystic’s longtime director, Dick Eastland. He was reportedly swept away trying to rescue children.
Other victims include 68-year-old Jane Ragsdale. She devoted her life to another nearby girls’ camp, Heart O’ the Hills. The camp had been between sessions on Friday when the flood hit. And 62-year-old Tanya Burwick, whose car got caught in the torrent on her way to work. Her son said she had a heart of gold.
And 27-year-old Julian Ryan was killed trying to escape his trailer home. His fiance, mother and 6-year-old son survived. Questions are swirling about preparedness and why more urgent flooding alerts didn’t come sooner. The flood-prone Kerr County had contemplated a warning system, complete with river gauges and sirens, for nearly a decade, but some local officials said costs have always gotten in the way.
Others have blamed cuts made by the Trump administration to the National Weather Service.