Camp Mystic Emergency Plans Approved Before Fatal Floods

Texas inspectors approved the emergency plans for Camp Mystic just two days prior to a devastating flood that resulted in the deaths of 27 campers and counselors.

The camp was said to meet the necessary regulations for disaster procedures, including evacuation strategies, as per records from the State Department of Health Services that were reviewed.

However, an examination of five years’ worth of inspection records by the Associated Press revealed that details regarding Camp Mystic’s disaster plans were not explicitly outlined. State law mandates these plans be included in all camp buildings.

Established in 1926, the all-girl Christian camp failed to evacuate before heavy rainfall struck the already flood-prone region along the Guadalupe River, leading to one of the most lethal floods Texas has experienced in over a century.

Local and state officials have dodged inquiries regarding the oversight of the incoming storm and the preparedness measures taken prior to the flooding.

The floodwaters wreaked havoc along the Guadalupe River, sweeping away cabins, tents, and trailers.

As of Tuesday, officials reported that five campers and one counselor were still unaccounted for.

In total, at least 172 individuals remain missing across Texas’ Hill Country following the severe flash floods, according to Governor Greg Abbott. He recently conducted a helicopter tour over the affected regions. The death toll, which has now reached 111, surpasses the fatalities from Hurricane Harvey, which claimed 103 lives in August 2017.

In Carr County, where Camp Mystic is located, 87 fatalities have been recorded, and rescue teams continue their search for survivors.