# Massive flooding in Texas; 20 children missing from a summer camp **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 4, 2025, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-flooding-in-texas-20-children-missing-from-a-summer-camp/1020512 "2025-07-04T21:50:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-flooding-in-texas-20-children-missing-from-a-summer-camp/1020512/101 "2025-07-07T21:03:09Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > An article which @LSLGuy just posted in [a thread in the Pit](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demanding-cites-for-things-that-would-take-you-2-second-to-look-up-is-lazy/1020281/212) contains this (emphasis mine): Thanks for the cite. A few posts farther up in that thread I cited two more cites to a Texas-based weather blogger. Same info, different authors: > [@Demanding cites for things that would take you 2 second to look up is lazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demanding-cites-for-things-that-would-take-you-2-second-to-look-up-is-lazy/1020281/206): > > > [@Demanding cites for things that would take you 2 second to look up is lazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demanding-cites-for-things-that-would-take-you-2-second-to-look-up-is-lazy/1020281/204): > > > > > [@Demanding cites for things that would take you 2 second to look up is lazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demanding-cites-for-things-that-would-take-you-2-second-to-look-up-is-lazy/1020281/197): > > > > > > NWS FTW. > > > > Didn’t Trump nerf them recently? Ask Texans. > > There is no evidence that the NWS cuts did anything to harm the forecasting or response in Texas from Post-Barry flooding. Too little too soon. > > For sure the NWS cuts will bring widespread harm all across the country soon enough. It was a profoundly ignorant bit of royalist toddler vandalism that itself alone is grounds for immediate removal from office as manifestly unfit. > > See here for some highly informed commentary on the topic of Texas flooding and NWS cuts: > > [Making sense of the weather that led to a horrible Texas flooding tragedy, plus Tropical Storm Chantal – The Eyewall](https://theeyewall.com/making-sense-of-the-weather-that-led-to-a-horrible-texas-flooding-tragedy-plus-tropical-storm-chantal/) > > and > > [Chantal makes landfall near Myrtle Beach and now moving inland as a rainmaker – The Eyewall](https://theeyewall.com/chantal-makes-landfall-near-myrtle-beach-and-now-moving-inland-as-a-rainmaker/) ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-flooding-in-texas-20-children-missing-from-a-summer-camp/1020512/102 "2025-07-07T21:14:54Z")
> [@bump](#): > > > [@ASL\_v2.0](#): > > > > In the summer, it is indeed a Girl Scout camp. Camp Waldemar to be exact. > > Oh… no, not Girl Scouts. Camp Waldemar is one of the old-timey wealthy girl camps along with Camp Mystic. Well in that case, I’m pleased to know my company (when it had money for such things) sprung for one of the top tier old-timey wealthy girl camps! And the one (Waldemar) where they had the good sense to build the lodgings on higher ground at that… ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-flooding-in-texas-20-children-missing-from-a-summer-camp/1020512/103 "2025-07-07T21:19:35Z")
It could be some sort of a self-perpetuating phenomenon, where the more white a summer camp becomes, the less willing minority parents are to send their non-white daughters to that camp, because of fear that “She’ll stick out like a sore thumb and feel self-conscious,” and then it accelerates and as fewer and fewer non-white girls go, then even those non-white ones who’d been considering going may think it’s awkward to go. It can be embarrassing for kids to be the only brown-skinned person in a sea of white faces in the group photos. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-flooding-in-texas-20-children-missing-from-a-summer-camp/1020512/104 "2025-07-07T21:21:52Z")
That is a stunningly charitable interpretation of how this works. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-flooding-in-texas-20-children-missing-from-a-summer-camp/1020512/105 "2025-07-07T21:23:05Z")
Well, that’s how it works without any overt, deliberate racism. I won’t lay any odds on an institution in Texas being without overt, deliberate racism. ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-flooding-in-texas-20-children-missing-from-a-summer-camp/1020512/106 "2025-07-08T03:23:20Z")
Not to take anything away from this tragedy but this camp had 750 campers which means that well over 700 were safely evacuated to higher ground. Looking at the logistics, there were 13 cabins on the lower level and 10 on the upper level meaning that the majority of the campers were in the direct path of the flood and were successfully evacuated. Again, this is a terrible tragedy and it certainly should be questioned whether any cabins should have been on the lower ground but I would give some credit to the staff and the counselors ( mostly teens) who were able to save the majority of the campers. Reports are that many acted rapidly and effectively, doing thing like breaking windows to get campers out successfully and leading them to higher ground. ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-flooding-in-texas-20-children-missing-from-a-summer-camp/1020512/107 "2025-07-08T03:50:20Z")
Staff and counselors? Sure. Owners… I think a criminal investigation at least is warranted, if not outright charges (the charges would follow the investigation only if appropriate, of course). Something in the vein of manslaughter, child endangerment, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-flooding-in-texas-20-children-missing-from-a-summer-camp/1020512/108 "2025-07-08T04:28:12Z")
That will be a bit touchy in the case of one of the co-owners of Camp Mystic, at least. It’s being reported Dick Eastland died while trying to save campers. Not to say there isn’t a need to investigate and so on, but at least in his case, at least he put his own life on the line trying to make good. > **[Texas flooding victims include 27 Camp Mystic campers and counselors, camp...](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/camp-mystic-campers-counselors-killed-texas-flooding/)** > > Dozens of people have died in the Texas flooding that struck on the Fourth of July. And, you wouldn’t think it would be possible for any politician to make the same own goal twice in one career, but Ted “Cancun” Cruz was caught on Friday and Saturday enjoying his vacation in Greece, despite his own people saying he got back “as soon as humanly possible”. While I have no hard proof he could have gotten back sooner than the Sunday flight he did take, perhaps being out and about with his family was perhaps not the best optics on the days following a major loss of life in his state. > **[Cruz’s Returned ‘As Fast as Humanly Possible’ Claim Crumbles](https://www.thedailybeast.com/vacationing-ted-cruzs-as-fast-as-humanly-possible-return-claim-crumbles/)** > > Cruz says he returned to Texas as quickly as he could after news of devastating floods broke. Flight data tells a different story. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-flooding-in-texas-20-children-missing-from-a-summer-camp/1020512/109 "2025-07-08T05:29:05Z")
I heard earlier today that untrained people were showing up to help with recovery and cleanup, against the wishes of First Responders and other people who have experience with this kind of thing. I understand wanting to help, but creating more casualties, by being injured in various ways, doesn’t help anyone. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-flooding-in-texas-20-children-missing-from-a-summer-camp/1020512/110 "2025-07-08T05:34:40Z")
Don’t they always say that, tho’? Since Katrina, every event has had the first responders saying it and actual LE stopping regular, maybe helpful(?) folks coming in. Of course, don’t go there. If you just gotta do something, donate. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-flooding-in-texas-20-children-missing-from-a-summer-camp/1020512/111 "2025-07-08T05:39:26Z")
And donate money, so the aid organizations can buy things they need. Even well-meaning people often donate all kinds of things that the potential recipients can’t use. After Hurricane Helene, there were several areas where they had to tell people to stop bringing in things, even necessities like Kotex, pet food, and diapers, because they ran out of room to store it, and people to sort and distribute it! ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-flooding-in-texas-20-children-missing-from-a-summer-camp/1020512/112 "2025-07-08T09:47:10Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Since Katrina, every event has had the first responders saying it and actual LE stopping regular, maybe helpful(?) folks coming in. One problem is that although a lot of people do want to be genuinely helpful that is also one way looters and thieves get into a devastated area, too. There’s also the problem of untrained would-be rescuers getting into trouble themselves, or perhaps doing more harm than good in some cases. It’s a balancing act. ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-flooding-in-texas-20-children-missing-from-a-summer-camp/1020512/113 "2025-07-08T14:00:45Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > It could be some sort of a self-perpetuating phenomenon, where the more white a summer camp becomes, the less willing minority parents are to send their non-white daughters to that camp, because of fear that “She’ll stick out like a sore thumb and feel self-conscious,” and then it accelerates and as fewer and fewer non-white girls go, then even those non-white ones who’d been considering going may think it’s awkward to go. It can be embarrassing for kids to be the only brown-skinned person in a sea of white faces in the group photos. So what you’re saying is, it’s actually the Hispanic and non-white parents who are racist? Rather than, say, the racism occurring to the left of (prior to) the decision to send someone to camp. For example: how wealth is distributed to determine who even has the money to send their kids to camp, or who gets to feel welcomed into these groups that send their children to camp together. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-flooding-in-texas-20-children-missing-from-a-summer-camp/1020512/114 "2025-07-08T14:04:52Z")
No, not saying they’re racist. I’m saying that if a certain activity or camp or organization develops a reputation as being ‘white,’ it could subtly discourage minority people from participating if they fear that they’ll stick out too much as being the exception. Although your latter comment about ‘who gets feel welcomed into these groups’ is kind of what I’m alluding to. There can be a sort of psychological ratio at play. ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-flooding-in-texas-20-children-missing-from-a-summer-camp/1020512/115 "2025-07-08T14:14:52Z")
IDK, it just seems like your focus on the possible motivations of Hispanic/non-white people to explain a heavily non-Hispanic white crowd has a tendency to misplace the agency for causing racial disparities onto people who are Hispanic/non-white themselves. Which strikes me as somewhat… perverse. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-flooding-in-texas-20-children-missing-from-a-summer-camp/1020512/116 "2025-07-08T14:16:07Z")
I’m not saying it’s the only reason, I’m saying it’s one of the multiple factors at play. Anyhow, it may be getting off track. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-flooding-in-texas-20-children-missing-from-a-summer-camp/1020512/117 "2025-07-08T17:09:53Z")
Texas: no zoning laws, no flood control, no … anything that smacks of responsible governance. Why is anyone surprised that stuff like this happens? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-flooding-in-texas-20-children-missing-from-a-summer-camp/1020512/118 "2025-07-08T17:14:21Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Texas: no zoning laws, no flood control, no … anything that smacks of responsible governance. Texans (and other red staters): “Hey, government, you aren’t the boss of me!” Nature: “Hey, human beings, you aren’t the boss of me!” ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-flooding-in-texas-20-children-missing-from-a-summer-camp/1020512/119 "2025-07-08T17:28:49Z")
Not according to some prominent Republicans. > **[MTG Wants to Make ‘Deadly’ Weather Manipulation a Felony](https://www.yahoo.com/news/mtg-wants-deadly-weather-manipulation-151205076.html)** > > The Georgia congress woman’s not-so-surprising plan to wage war on “geoengineering” follows previous comments. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-flooding-in-texas-20-children-missing-from-a-summer-camp/1020512/120 "2025-07-08T17:32:23Z")
She’s going to take down the big oil companies exacerbating the climate changes that are making the weather so deadly?!? Whoo!! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-flooding-in-texas-20-children-missing-from-a-summer-camp/1020512.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-flooding-in-texas-20-children-missing-from-a-summer-camp/1020512.md?page=7)