U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., says his granddaughters are safe after attending a summer camp in Texas that flooded over the weekend, but one of their cousins has died.
Carter took to X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday to give an update about his family after the widespread flooding that has killed nearly 70 people across the state, officials said.
“As you may have heard, my granddaughters were at the summer camp in Texas that flooded. They are safe, and I thank you for your well-wishes and prayers during this time,” Carter wrote.
“Unfortunately, not everyone was as lucky. My granddaughters lost their cousin, Janie, and many other families are grieving loved ones.”
The flash flooding happened after a storm unleashed nearly a foot of rain Friday. It quickly sent floodwaters out of the Guadalupe River, which impacted the hilly region of Kerr County, an area known for its summer camps, The Associated Press reported.
In about 45 minutes, the river rose 26 feet in the early morning hours Friday.
At least 38 adults and 21 children have died across the county as of early Sunday afternoon, officials said.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
While Carter didn’t specify the name of the camp that his family had attended, at least 11 campers and a counselor were still unaccounted for at Camp Mystic, according to the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office. The camp was established in 1926 and has hosted many daughters and family members of political elites during that span, according to the Texas Tribune. It is located on the banks of the Guadalupe River.
The sheriff’s office said more than 400 first responders from nearly two dozen agencies were helping Sunday after the chaos. Rescuers were navigating through broken trees, overturned cars and muck-filled debris to find survivors, according to the AP.
“We have more than a dozen K9 units working in and near the river,” the sheriff’s office said. “More than 100 air, water, and ground vehicles are in the field right now, working on search and rescue.”
The National Weather Service sent several flash flood warnings early Friday. The county does not have a warning system, AP reported.
Carter, a six-time Savannah-area incumbent, announced in May he had joined the Georgia Senate race against U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff.
On Sunday, Carter said Texas “must ensure that they have the resources they need to find those still missing and save lives.”
“Please join me in prayers for Texas,” he said.
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