New evidence shows that Camp Mystic, the Texas girls’ summer camp where 27 campers and staff died after deadly flash floods on July 4, had successfully appealed to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)for the removal of dozens of its buildings from 100-year floodplain maps which paved way for expansions in a known flood-prone area, reported CBS.
Members of a search and rescue team search for missing people amid debris in the waters of the Guadalupe River, near Camp Mystic.(REUTERS)
The tragedy at Camp Mystic occurred when the Guadalupe River in Kerr County rose to record levels during the early morning hours on July 4, inundating cabins, sweeping away buildings, and catching many sleeps with no warning. The disaster has triggered widespread questions about regulatory oversight, floodplain mapping, and emergency alert failures.
In 2011, FEMA had designated over 30 buildings at Camp Mystic within a Special Flood Hazard Area which required stricter construction regulations and mandatory flood insurance. But camp officials appealed and in 2013, FEMA removed 15 buildings, all located on the original 99-year-old campgrounds now devastated by the floods, the CBS report added.
Further appeals led FEMA to remove 15 more buildings in 2019 and 2020 at Camp Mystic Cypress Lake, a new sister site which suffered less damage. These changes allowed for significant expansion, including new cabins, a chapel, and recreational spaces.
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At least 12 buildings in the main camp, despite FEMA’s designation, were still within the floodplain during the flash floods, data from First Street Foundation showed, according to another New York Post report. Sarah Pralle, flood policy researcher at Syracuse University, told the Post that it is disturbing that “a camp responsible for so many children was allowed to bypass basic flood regulations”.
Experts believe the map amendments were likely pursued to avoid expensive flood insurance premiums and to enable new construction with fewer regulatory hurdles. Pralle, as per NY Post, noted that FEMA approved about 90 per cent of appeals which often benefitted wealthier or well-connected communities.
Pralle added, “Some exempted structures were within just two feet of FEMA’s flood zone, leaving no margin for safety.”
A 2021 study co-authored by Pralle found such amendments were more common in areas with high property values, newer buildings, and majority-white populations.
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In addition to regulatory concerns, the CBS report stated, Kerr County failed to use its emergency alert system which could have warned residents and campers as floodwaters rose rapidly. While the National Weather Service issued alerts beginning at 1:14 am local time, the local government did not activate sirens or mobile alerts which was confirmed by fire department radio traffic reviews by CBS.
Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly admitted that the area does not have a warning system and by the time it appeared on social media around 5.15 am, the damage was already catastrophic.
The NY Post stated that FEMA has since said the flood maps are ‘snapshots in time’ and not precise predictions, adding that they show minimum standards for risk assessment. However, climate models from First Street suggested both the original and expanded camps were at risk during a 100-year flood, contradicting FEMA’s amendments.
Meanwhile, Camp Mystic and local officials have not responded to news publications, but in an earlier statement called the event an “unimaginable tragedy”.
It’s an area with a 1 per cent annual chance of flooding. FEMA uses this to enforce regulations and insurance requirements.
The camp appealed FEMA’s designation, likely to reduce insurance costs and allow expansion with fewer restrictions, as per NY Post.
No. Kerr County did not activate its CodeRED alert system or have sirens in place during the flooding.
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