Camp Mystic Officials Testify on Missed Flood Warnings

AUSTIN, Texas—Officials from Camp Mystic, the Texas summer camp devastated by a deadly flood last year, testified this week in a court hearing that they missed key weather warnings and delayed evacuation efforts, contributing to the deaths of 25 campers and two counselors along the Guadalupe River on July 4, 2025.

Edward Eastland, the camp's director, provided emotional details during the two-day hearing, describing how staff failed to act on alerts issued by the National Weather Service and Texas Department of Emergency Management on July 2 and 3. Those warnings highlighted risks of heavy rainfall and flash flooding in rivers and low-lying areas, including the camp's location. Eastland said he and other staff relied on phone weather apps and a local CodeRED alert system but did not see social media posts from the agencies. "We did not expect what was going to happen," Eastland testified, adding that no staff meetings were held to discuss the threats and that the camp lacked a detailed written flood evacuation plan.

The flood struck in the predawn hours, with the Guadalupe River surging from 10 feet to about 37.5 feet in under two hours, creating rapids that battered cabins....