Texas Governor Greg Abbott said the number of people who are reported missing as a result of the Independence Day weekend floods is expected to increase in the coming days. The governor explained that many adults and families who camp in tents and RVs along the rivers may not be reported missing by their families until they fail to return home after the extended holiday weekend.
In a Sunday afternoon press briefing, Governor Abbott said there were 41 people missing in addition to the 11 girls still missing from the Camp Mystic tragedy.
“It’s important to emphasize this,” Abbott stated, “especially in the Kerrville area, there were so many that were just camping out. Not children in camps, but adults camping out, near the river. People in RVs and things like that.”
“There are people who are missing who are not on the known confirmed missing because we don’t yet know who they are,” the governor explained. “We will continue our search along the entire river system to find anybody who may be missing.”
Breitbart Texas toured the flood-torn region near Hunt and Ingram, Texas on Sunday and observed RV camping parks that were wiped off the map. The only thing that remained at many of the riverside RV parks were the concrete slabs where the vehicles park.
The Guadalupe River and other rivers in the flood-affected region are home to many state parks and commercial RV campsites. Breitbart Texas flew a drone over the Blue Oak RV park located in Ingram along the Guadalupe River. The park’s website says the campground can host up to 36 motorhomes or travel trailers. The owner of the park told NEWS4SA reporter Jordan Elder the park was only 80 percent full at the time and other campers were expected to arrive later that day.
The video shows that the park was wiped clean of any RVs.
Jake Richards posted a story about his experience in the Blue Oak RV Park this weekend as flood waters began to overtake the campsite.
“I happened to be awake around 4:30am when I heard screaming outside,” Richards wrote. “I rushed outside to see the flood beginning to wash away the RVs in the lower level. I ran back inside, woke my wife up, and told her to quickly get ready and evacuate. We were out of the RV within 2 minutes and the water had already spilled over into the upper level of the park.”
Richards and his neighbors began knocking on the doors of RVs to wake people up and spread the alarm of the pending danger.
“Quickly, the waters made it impossible to intervene anymore and within minutes we watched as the flood washed away the remaining RVs,” he explained. “Houses and RVs from up river swept through the park. We heard screaming and cries for help as families and children were taken by the waters. By the time we could locate them and try to find something to throw or provide help in any way, they were gone.”
During his Sunday afternoon media briefing, Governor Abbott said there were currently 41 people missing in addition to the 11 girls who were still missing from Camp Mystic in Ingram. He said he expects this number to increase as many who went camping for the weekend fail to return home.
NEWS4SA reporter Elder posted a video of the flood’s aftermath in the park and said at least one family of five was swept away and is still missing.
This scene was likely replicated in dozens of parks and campsites throughout the region.
The Texas Military Department announced that it has rescued or removed 525 people through air and land-based rescue operations. Texas Adjutant General, Major General Thomas Suelzer, told reporters that 356 of the rescues were carried out via air assets while 159 people were rescued via land personnel.
Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol. Before his retirement, he served as the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol Stations within the Del Rio, Texas, Sector. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @RandyClarkBBTX.
Bob Price is the Breitbart Texas-Border team’s associate editor and senior news contributor. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday morning talk show. He is a U.S. Air Force veteran and serves as president of Blue Wonder Gun Care Products.
Read the full article here