Texas Camp Removed from Flood Risk Maps Before Deadly Flood Killed 27 Children

 

Texas, July 13, 2025 – Buildings at Camp Mystic, a popular Texas summer camp, were removed from federal flood risk maps years before a devastating flood killed 27 children on July 4, according to US media reports citing official records. The New York Times and Associated Press reported that 2011 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) maps initially classified Camp Mystic, located along the Guadalupe River, as high-risk for flooding. However, the camp successfully appealed to have many of its buildings excluded from these designations, which would have required flood insurance and stricter construction regulations. FEMA’s flood maps indicated some camp cabins were in a “floodway,” an area prone to dangerous floodwaters, while others were in a zone expected to flood once every 100 years. Syracuse University professor Sarah Pralle called the exemptions “perplexing” and “extremely troubling,” especially for a children’s camp, emphasizing the need for heightened flood protection measures. Floodwaters tore through Camp Mystic before dawn on July 4, claiming the lives of at least 27 girls. The disaster contributed to a statewide death toll of 129, with scores still missing. Questions have emerged about inadequate warnings and the failure to evacuate camps despite the looming threat. President Donald Trump visited the affected areas on Friday, pledging federal support for rebuilding efforts. He dismissed queries about insufficient warnings, calling such questions “evil.” Experts attribute the flood’s deadly impact to its pre-dawn timing and the vulnerable location of some camp buildings. The BBC has reached out to FEMA and Camp Mystic for comment, but neither has responded publicly.

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