TX TX-Hunt, Overnight flooding at Camp Mystic, all girls camp. Unknown number of missing. July 4, 2025

[Skigh]

Camp Mystic director killed while trying to save girls from flooding

The beloved director of Camp Mystic, Richard 'Dick' Eastland, 70, died while trying to save girls from the devastating flooding that swept through the Texas summer camp.

www.dailymail.co.uk

The director of Camp Mystic was killed while trying to save girls from the horrific flooding that swept through the Texas summer camp.

Richard 'Dick' Eastland, 70, died while trying to rescue campers from the biblical rushing waters that struck the state on July 4.

At least 11 girls and one counselor are missing from Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas, and five of their fellow campers have died after the rushing waters destroyed the all-girls private Christian summer camp.


The death toll has risen to at least 59 people, including 21 children after the Guadalupe River flooded and surged by up to 30 feet above its usual water level Friday.

Eastland's nephew, Gardner Eastland, confirmed the death in a Facebook post on Saturday. The camp director's wife, Tweety, was found safe at their home, according to Texas Public Radio.

Father-of-four Eastland died in a helicopter on the way to a Houston hospital, Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly told the Washington Post.

The Eastlands have owned and operated Camp Mystic since 1974, and many viewed him as a father figure at the camp.

 

[Betty P]

My mum's best friend survived Cyclone Tracy, Darwin, Christmas Day, 1974. It's reminding me a lot of that, though I've seen very destructive major flooding events in my lifetime. Tracy hit on a holiday, middle of the night, was meant to pass by/be much less damaging. An estimated sixty six people died, and most of the city was completely destroyed.

On Christmas Day 50 years ago, Cyclone Tracy reduced Darwin to ruins

It's still one of Australia's worst disasters. Now, 50 years on, survivors of Cyclone Tracy share their incredible tales of the night Darwin was blown away.

www.abc.net.au

MOO

There's nothing worse than those terrible natural disasters that strike populated areas in the middle of the night. I suppose that's the worst case scenario any state or community must prepare for.

 

[Tbone144]

The Kerrville Daily Times

Officials: 38 adults, 21 children confirmed dead in Kerr County flood

www.facebook.com

38 adults and 21 children dead.

 

[Quill]

As heartless as it feels to mention money at a time like this, as far as I can tell, the demographic for Camp Mystic campers skews to high income, upper crust society. The families of the survivors from there should be able to afford mental health care and support if they need it.

The supports for people doing search and rescue and other first responders are far more tenuous, if they exist at all. They're on a much lower income, if they're not just straight up volunteers. They're going to be seeing a lot of death and devastation over the days and weeks to come, and a lot of the bodies they're going to be finding are going to be very young children. That takes a toll on anyone, regardless of how long they've been doing the job.

I think the spokesperson vowing to find every single missing child shouldn't have said that. I winced when I read it. It's highly unlikely that every person will be found, even if the best efforts are extended weeks into the future. Flood waters take, and they don't always give back what they take. That's the reality of this kind of disaster. By promising not to stop, he's putting unfair pressure on the searchers and giving families and the community unreasonable expectations of what is actually, realistically possible. And that can compound the trauma everyone affected is left with.

MOO

BBM
My daughter worked at a camp like this for two summers in another state. While you are correct about the demographic in majority, It's not entirely correct though in some cases. The camp that my daughter worked had programs for inner city youth and under-served youth who came on scholarships and attended camp just the same as the rest. Many of these camps do this, but I do not have personal knowledge of these particular camps involved here. Just wanted to throw that out there. JMO

 

[IceIce9]

Please don't take my post out of context/misquote me. The rest stated: "If that is correct, the camp managed to evacuate more than 700 people in a very short time. Still, not enough. Not enough."

My post had nothing to do with the bickering here about warnings being too late, I meant it exactly as posted: they got a LOT of kids out safely. Not all, so not enough, but that is a LOT of kids herded out to safety, in rushing water and pitch black darkness. The camp workers are often also just teens/very young adults themselves (HS/college kids) working a summer job, they must have been so frightened as well.

Exactly. It is amazing that they got that many kids out safely.

Camp counselors are often very young. The website says Camp Mystic counselors have to have graduated high school.

General Info - Camp Mystic for Girls

General Info ~ Rewards & Benefits ~ On-Campus Recruiting ~ Nurse Positions General Information: Responsibilities and Expectations: 24 hour, 7 day a week job full of fun and excitement! Live with one or two other counselors in a cabin of…Read more ›

www.campmystic.com

 

[Skigh]

Texas flood death set to top 100 as relatives summoned to ID bodies

Texas officials privately warned of a devastating loss of life due to the flooding in Texas Hill Country in emails shared with Daily Mail.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Dotta]

A Coast Guard Hero

https://twitter.com/x/status/1941703036725862403

 

[Betty P]

A Coast Guard Hero

https://twitter.com/x/status/1941703036725862403

I'm not seeing much in the way of details of this in the news media. How did he save so many people? How was the USCG involved? Was he doing rescues from a helicopter? Was there a USCG boat on a lake somewhere or in the river? TIA

 

[wendybtn]

I thought the reason it was called a 'flash flood' is because it happens in a flash with very little time to move to safety.

 

[IceIce9]

I thought the reason it was called a 'flash flood' is because it happens in a flash with very little time to move to safety.

One of the most dangerous things about flash floods is that they occur so quickly—hence their name—and are often underestimated. By the time the alert flashes on your phone, it might be too late.

Let's Talk About the Different Between Flash Floods and Normal Floods

It’s the difference between simmering and rapid destruction.

www.popularmechanics.com

 

[Dotta]

I'm not seeing much in the way of details of this in the news media. How did he save so many people? How was the USCG involved? Was he doing rescues from a helicopter? Was there a USCG boat on a lake somewhere or in the river? TIA

https://twitter.com/x/status/1941576716243308958

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

As heartless as it feels to mention money at a time like this, as far as I can tell, the demographic for Camp Mystic campers skews to high income, upper crust society. The families of the survivors from there should be able to afford mental health care and support if they need it.

Camp Mystic may have offered scholarships for some. We also have to consider that some may have saved for years to send their kids there, so we don't really know if they were all "upper crust society." I think affordable mental health care for anyone who wants is really important for everyone and especially anyone who's undergone this type of trauma.

The supports for people doing search and rescue and other first responders are far more tenuous, if they exist at all. They're on a much lower income, if they're not just straight up volunteers. They're going to be seeing a lot of death and devastation over the days and weeks to come, and a lot of the bodies they're going to be finding are going to be very young children. That takes a toll on anyone, regardless of how long they've been doing the job.

In my experience, first responder agencies usually work with mental health agencies as part of their occupational health programs. But I agree, they need all the support they can get and hopefully, without any work-related stigma.

MOO.

 

[K9Enzo]

I'm not seeing much in the way of details of this in the news media. How did he save so many people? How was the USCG involved? Was he doing rescues from a helicopter? Was there a USCG boat on a lake somewhere or in the river? TIA

He’s a rescue swimmer. He wasn’t on a boat or standing on the riverbank. He was hoisted in and out of helicopters, going straight into the water and pulling people out one by one. He also handled triage in the middle of the chaos. Sounds like he was both rescuer & triage lead. What an extraordinary decision maker. Well done, Sir. imo

 

[DS2021]

NBC says 70 dead across Texas.

At least 11 camp mystic campers are still missing

Live updates: Desperate search for the missing in Texas flood; at least 70 dead

Desperate search for the missing in Texas flood; at least 51 dead

www.nbcnews.com

 

[spivey]

Camp Mystic sits on a strip known as “flash flood alley,” said Austin Dickson, CEO of the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, a charitable endowment that is collecting donations to help nonprofits responding to the disaster.

I'm usually not a big fan of hindsight unless it can be used to lessen or avoid future tragedies. Establishing a summer camp in a place called "Flash Flood Alley" is at the very least unfortunate. At most, accountability for the tragedy should include the person(s) who thought it was a good spot for a summer camp. Accountability is amplified by the fact that a seemingly similar incident that killed 10 campers occured in a nearby camp in the 90s.

 

[Gemmie]

Camp Mystic director killed while trying to save girls from flooding

The beloved director of Camp Mystic, Richard 'Dick' Eastland, 70, died while trying to save girls from the devastating flooding that swept through the Texas summer camp.

www.dailymail.co.uk

The death toll has risen to at least 59 people, including 21 children after the Guadalupe River flooded and surged by up to 30 feet above its usual water level Friday.

30 feet?!?!?!

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

I thought the reason it was called a 'flash flood' is because it happens in a flash with very little time to move to safety.

The flood itself, yes. But the warnings that it's coming, no. Flash flood watches and warnings had been given hours earlier, per links throughout the thread.

 

[IceIce9]

Mystic counselor helps save 14 campers

In a post on social media Saturday evening Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry expressed his gratitude to Camp Mystic counselor, Emma Foltz, for saving 14 campers.

dailytimes.com

 

[seasideForest]

The map to the camp is linked HERE: https://www.campmystic.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/2017-Brochure-Online-Update-2022.pdf

I edited it myself to include labels but I guess ya'll are gonna have to squint since OG source images are required.

I mistakenly posted info without sources to back it up currently looking for sources to confirm my data.

This is a pin dropped to the camp in Bing (I find bing maps better) Bing Maps

The pin is dropped to the main office of the camp. The main offices, the rec hall, and the Harrison dining hall make a triangle of the main buildings.

Luckily NY Times has also attempted to recreate the overview image: A Close Look at Camp Mystic
"Several girls who are reported missing were in the low-lying cabins on the “Flats,” where junior and intermediate campers live, less than 500 feet from the river bank." However you can also clearly see that the water must have risen tremendously above the river to have reached those spots.

I apologise for posting some hearsay previously. There are family members of children posting on other stories I am following but I will no longer provide any info not backed up by a mainstream source.

Thanks for the screenshots of maps.

This isn't in response to you, allgoaton, but I'm wondering if the younger girls were in cabins lower down than the older girls for the simple reason to have them closer to the dining hall and rec centre, so they wouldn't have to walk so far daily? Younger - shorter legs, less stamina and strength than older girls? Rather than older girls get the privilege of being further up the hill.

MOO

Whatever the reasons, it's a tragedy.

 

[Sundog]

He’s a rescue swimmer. He wasn’t on a boat or standing on the riverbank. He was hoisted in and out of helicopters, going straight into the water and pulling people out one by one. He also handled triage in the middle of the chaos. Sounds like he was both rescuer & triage lead. What an extraordinary decision maker. Well done, Sir. imo

Keeping all the federal, state and local rescue personnel in my prayers as they risk their lives to save others. Also the local volunteers who are doing everything they can to help their neighbors and the community.