Texas flood witness recalls furniture, trees and RVs swept down river

Texas flood witness recalls furniture, trees and RVs swept down river

COMFORT, Texas (Reuters) -Tonia Fucci, a Pennsylvania resident visiting her grandmother for the Independence Day weekend, woke early on Friday to the sound of heavy rain "coming down in buckets." Along with the rain, she heard something else - loud, startling cracking noises. "It's indescribable, the sounds, of how loud they were, which turned out to be ... the massive cypress trees that came down along the river," she told a Reuters reporter in an interview the next day. Flash floods in central Texas have killed at least 43 people, including 15 children, authorities said on Saturday as rescuers continued a frantic search for dozens more campers, vacationers and residents who were still missing. Hardest hit was Camp Mystic, a nearly century-old girls camp, where dozens of young girls were swept away in the flood waters, leaving many dead and many more still missing. Fucci, who was staying in Comfort on the banks of the overflowing Guadalupe River, filmed on her phone a torrent of muddy water flooding the road to her grandmother's house and two recreational vehicles in a parking lot, with their wheels submerged in water. Reuters verified the location of the video by matching buildings and vehicles to satellite imagery and confirmed the date by checking the metadata. "I'm still in shock today," Fucci told Reuters. She said she had little hope anyone would be found alive. "There's so many missing children and missing people. You just want them to be found for the sake of the families. But, you know, it's not going to be a good ending... There's no way people could have survived the swiftness of the water." Fucci said she had received National Weather alerts on her phone hours after the flood had already hit. The residents of the town had to rely on one another, as they ran to their neighbors to see who needed help before rescue teams arrived. "Something I've never seen before. You knew it was tragedy," Fucci said, recalling how quickly the river flooded the town. "It wasn't slowing, it wasn't slowing. And debris and furniture and RVs were coming down the river." (Reporting by Sandra Stojanovic, Writing by Maria Tsvetkova; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)

byAlpha World

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July 05, 2025

Texas flood witness recalls furniture, trees and RVs swept down river

Texas flood witness recalls furniture, trees and RVs swept down river COMFORT, Texas (Reuters) -Tonia Fucci, a Pennsylvania resident visitin...

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Search for missing continues as Texas floods kill 51, including 15 children

Search for missing continues as Texas floods kill 51, including 15 children

Hundreds of rescuers have been deployed to search for people missing in central Texas, after flash floods killed 51 people, including 15 children. The worst affected area is Kerr County where 43 people have died and where 27 children remain missing from a Christian youth camp located along the River Guadalupe. "The work continues, and will continue, until everyone is found," promised Larry Leitha, the sheriff of Kerr County. People have also been confirmed dead in other parts of the state, including Travis County and Tom Green County. Multiple flash flood warnings remain in place over the weekend in central Texas. About 850 people have been rescued so far. At a press conference on Saturday afternoon, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he had signed an expanded disaster declaration to boost search efforts. He said officials would be relentless in ensuring they locate "every single person who's been a victim of this event", adding that "we will stop when the job is completed". It remains a search and rescue mission, officials said, not a recovery effort. They said rescuers were going up and down the Guadalupe River to try to find people who may have been swept away by the floods. US President Donald Trump said his administration is working closely with local authorities to respond to the emergency. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the federal government would deploy the Coast Guard to help with the search. Forecasters have warned that central Texas may see more flooding this weekend. The National Weather Service (NWS) said the area could see 2 to 5in (5cm to 12cm) of rain on Saturday. Up to 10in of rain was possible in some areas badly affected by Friday's deluge. Much of the rescue has focused on a large all-girls' Christian summer camp called Camp Mystic, located along the banks of the Guadalupe River. Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick told the BBC's Radio 4 PM programme many of 27 missing girls were "under the age of 12". Pictures from the camp show it in disarray, with blankets, mattresses, teddy bears and other belongings caked in mud. Many were asleep when the river rose more than 26ft (8m) in less than an hour in the early hours of Friday. In an email to parents of the roughly 750 campers, Camp Mystic said that if they have not been contacted directly, their child has been accounted for. More details of those who died have started to emerge - some were as young as eight. It's also been confirmed sisters Blair and Brooke Harber, who were 13 and 11, are among the dead. A special mass will be held at Notre Dame Catholic Church on Sunday for those who died or are missing, and their families. Scores of campers holidaying during the 4 July weekend, were also unaccounted for. Lorena Guillen, whose home and restaurant were destroyed, had 28 recreational vehicles staying on her land near the river. She told the BBC News Channel that she heard screams from a family of five. "They were getting washed away," Guillen said. "They were clinging on trees to be rescued. But the rescuers couldn't get to them". Rachel Reed drove five hours from Dallas to pick up her daughter. She told the BBC that members of her church and children's school district were among the girls dead and missing. "The families of those campers are living every parent's worst nightmare," she said. "Of course, it could have been me." Others started returning to the flooded areas. Jonathan and Brittany Rojas visited their relatives' home - where only the foundation remained. They told the BBC that the mother and a baby of the family remained missing. A teenage son, Leo, survived afterhe became snared in barbed wire. Another resident, Anthony, found his apartment full of mud and debris. His belongings were not salvageable, except a box holding childhood photos and his baby blanket. "I lost everything I own," he told the BBC. "Now I'm trying to figure things out." Texas flood victims: Girl 'living her best life' and 'heart and soul' of camp Additional reporting by Iona Hampson in Texas and Ana Faguy in Washington.

byAlpha World

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July 05, 2025

Search for missing continues as Texas floods kill 51, including 15 children

Search for missing continues as Texas floods kill 51, including 15 children Hundreds of rescuers have been deployed to search for people mis...

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Burger King Fans Celebrate as Retired Beverage Reportedly Returns This Month

Burger King Fans Celebrate as Retired Beverage Reportedly Returns This Month

Burger King Fans Celebrate as Retired Beverage Reportedly Returns This Monthoriginally appeared onParade. Burger Kingfans are impatiently awaiting the midpoint of the month, when a fan-favorite, limited-edition menu item is expected to make a highly anticipated return. Trusted foodie influencer markie_devo shared reports of the thrilling news on Instagram on Saturday, July 5, revealing that the Frozen Cotton Candy Cloud beverage, which had a limited first-time run last spring before disappearing from menus, is speculated to once again hit restaurants nationwide on July 15. According to the brand's initial press release last year, the frozen drink is a "deliciously sweet" option that balances blue raspberry and cotton candy flavors, with an optional add-on of a new cold foam cloud topping. While cotton candy often proves to be a divisive flavor, this drink appears to hold a special place in fans' hearts, and the consensus couldn't be clearer: they're ready for it now. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Markie_devo (@markie_devo) "Hell yesssss🔥🔥," one replied excitedly, assuring anyone feeling uncertain that "this was soooooo good." "Yes! This was a fave of mine," another declared, as someone else replied, much more emphatically, "YESSSSSS I LOVE THIS." "I liked them last year," someone else agreed. "Will be getting a few this time around."Another excited follower simply left a series of heart-eye emojis to get their feelings about the release across: "😍😍😍😍😍." However, fans aren't quite as sold on Burger King Japan's latest offering, which includes "an odd number of pickles." Related: Burger King Fans Want 'One of Everything' on New Limited-Edition Menu Burger King Fans Celebrate as Retired Beverage Reportedly Returns This Monthfirst appeared on Parade on Jul 5, 2025 This story was originally reported byParadeon Jul 5, 2025, where it first appeared.

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July 05, 2025

Burger King Fans Celebrate as Retired Beverage Reportedly Returns This Month

Burger King Fans Celebrate as Retired Beverage Reportedly Returns This Month Burger King Fans Celebrate as Retired Beverage Reportedly Retur...

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This week on "Sunday Morning" (July 6)

This week on "Sunday Morning" (July 6)

The Emmy Award-winning "CBS News Sunday Morning" is broadcast on CBS Sundays beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET.  "Sunday Morning" alsostreams on the CBS News appbeginning at 11:00 a.m. ET. (Download it here.) Guest host: Mo Rocca HEADLINES: Texas flooding ALMANAC: July 6"Sunday Morning" looks back at historical events on this date. COVER STORY: How Lady Liberty became a beacon for immigrantsThe Statue of Liberty, France's gift to the United States, was originally viewed as a tribute to the end of slavery. But poet Emma Lazarus reimagined Lady Liberty as a "mother of exiles," welcoming immigrants to the shores of America. Correspondent Mo Rocca looks at how the opening of Ellis Island, the end of restrictive immigration quotas, and John F. Kennedy's evocation of the United States as "a nation of immigrants" transformed our country, in this entry in the "Sunday Morning" series "These United States." For more info: Statue of Liberty (National Park Service)Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution"Our Shared Future: 250" (Smithsonian event schedule)"One Mighty and Irresistible Tide: The Epic Struggle Over American Immigration, 1924-1965"by Jia Lynn Yang (W.W. Norton & Company), in Hardcover, Trade Paperback, eBook and Audio formats, available viaAmazon,Barnes & Noble, andBookshop.orgJia Lynn Yang, national editor, The New York Times FOOD: Ketchup's sweet and sour historyThere's a lot you don't know about that most popular of condiments, ketchup - its origin, its manufacture, and (as correspondent Luke Burbank finds out) why some people who spot a ketchup bottle see red. [Originally aired Nov. 19, 2017.] For more info: HeinzFood historian Andrew F. Smith"Pure Ketchup: The History of America's National Condiment"by Andrew F. Smith (Univ. of South Carolina Press), in Trade Paperback format, available viaAmazonandBookshop.orgPortillo'sThe Weiner's Circle, Chicago MUSIC: Sabrina Carpenter on the biggest misperceptions about her"Manchild," the new single from Sabrina Carpenter's upcoming album "Man's Best Friend," debuted last month at #1. It's the latest milestone for the singer-songwriter, whose road to superstardom exploded, in part, because of COVID. Carpenter talks with correspondent Tracy Smith about her "Short n' Sweet" tour; the advice her mother gave her; and how she deals with pressure (caffeine helps). [An earlier version of this story originally aired October 6, 2024.] To hear Sabrina Carpenter perform "Manchild" click on the video player below: For more info: Sabrina Carpenter(Official site) |"Short n' Sweet" tour info(through Nov. 23) PASSAGE: In memoriam"Sunday Morning" remembers some of the notable figures who left us this week. SPORTS: The world of Rubik's speed cubingThere are 43 quintillion possible permutations on a Rubik's cube – that's 43 billionbillion!But for some, solving a cube is child's play, as correspondent David Pogue discovered when he met with some speed cubers – including a pair of remarkable world-record holders who are only eight years old. For more info: Rubik's WCA World Championship 2025(July 3-6), SeattleRubik's Cube (Official site)Watch the World Championship Finals on Youtube July 6 FOOD: A museum that truly cuts the mustardIn 1991, Barry Levenson quit his job as an assistant attorney general in Wisconsin to follow his true passion: mustard. Founder of the National Mustard Museum, in Middleton, Wis., Levenson's collection of mustards has grown to more than 7,000 varieties from around the world. Correspondent Luke Burbank meets a man captivated by a beloved condiment. For more info: National Mustard Museum, Middleton, Wis. MOVIES: Inside "Jaws": Making the film classicFifty years ago, a monumental movie premiered that forever changed Hollywood: Steve Spielberg's "Jaws," adapted from Peter Benchley's bestselling novel, which became the highest-grossing film of its time. Richard Dreyfuss returned to Martha's Vineyard, which hosted the film production in 1974, and talked with Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz about the notoriously difficult shoot that nonetheless birthed a blockbuster. Mankiewicz also talks with actress Lorraine Gary and screenwriter Carl Gottlieb about their experiences working with Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, and a young director making his first big-budget studio film. For more info: Where to stream "Jaws"|Watch on Peacock"Jaws" 50th anniversary screenings beginning August 29 (AMC,Atom,Cinemark,Fandango,Regal)"Jaws" on4K and Blu-ray(Universal Home Entertainment)Thanks to theHarbor View Hotelin Edgartown, Mass. Home movie footage courtesy of Carol Fligor, Edgartown, Mass.The Daily Jaws"The Jaws Log: Expanded Edition (with shooting script)"by Carl Gottlieb (Dey Street Books), in Trade Paperback and eBook formats, available viaAmazon,Barnes & NobleandBookshop.org"Jaws: Memories from Martha's Vineyard"by Matt Taylor (Titan Books), in Hardcover format, available viaAmazon,Barnes & NobleandBookshop.org"Jaws: The Exhibition"at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles (Sept. 14, 2025-July 26, 2026) BOOKS: Ron Chernow on the life of Mark TwainWriter Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known by his pen name Mark Twain, not only redefined American literature in the 1800s; he helped create the very idea of what it meant tobean American. "Sunday Morning" national correspondent Robert Costa visits Twain's boyhood home in Hannibal, Missouri, and sits down with Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Ron Chernow to discuss his latest book, "Mark Twain," which delves into the life, complexities and sardonic humor of a man who remains a vital presence in American culture. READ AN EXCERPT:"Mark Twain" by Ron Chernow For more info: "Mark Twain"by Ron Chernow (Penguin Press), in Hardcover, eBook and Audio formats, available viaAmazon,Barnes & NobleandBookshop.orgMark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum, Hannibal, Mo.Mark Twain House & Museum, Hartford, Conn.Mark Twain Riverboat, Hannibal, Mo.Twain on Main Festival. Hannibal, Mo.Mark Twain Papers & Project, University of California, Berkeley LibrarySixth & I, Washington, D.C. FOOD: Emulsifying the truth behind mayonnaiseEggs, oil and vinegar come together to form a contested condiment: Mayonnaise, long thought to have been improvised by an 18th century French military chef who was short on cream. But some believe mayo dates back to the Spain of antiquity. Correspondent Luke Burbank seeks to spread a little light on mayonnaise's origins. For more info: Hellmann'sBest FoodsMolly BazAyoh"Food Fights & Culture Wars: A Secret History of Taste"by Tom Nealon (Abrams Press), in Trade Paperback and eBook formats, available viaAmazon,Barnes & NobleandBookshop.org NATURE: Shenandoah National Park in Virginia WEB EXCLUSIVES: FROM THE ARCHIVES:The infamous 1916 shark attacks that inspired "Jaws" (Video)The scariest word at any beach has to be the warning: "SHARK!" Although attacks by the sea predator are rare, they nonetheless create fear among beachgoers. Correspondent Anna Werner looked back at a fateful string of shark encounters along the New Jersey shore a century ago that stirred the public imagination, and inspired Peter Benchley's bestselling novel "Jaws," in a "Sunday Morning" report that originally aired June 12, 2016. FROM THE ARCHIVES:The adventures of Mark Twain (YouTube Video)The long-awaited autobiography of Samuel Clemens – best known by his pen name, Mark Twain – was released a century after his death. In this "Sunday Morning" story that originally aired Oct. 17, 2010, correspondent Jeff Glor reported on the publication of the humorist's unexpurgated, no-holds-barred memoir. Glor also talked with historian Robert Hirst, comedian Lewis Black, and curator Isaac Gewirtz about Twain as the first global superstar, and about the book's 100-year embargo (which was, said Hirst, an extraordinary publicity ploy). GALLERY:Notable deaths in 2025A look back at the esteemed personalities who left us this year, who'd touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity. The Emmy Award-winning "CBS News Sunday Morning" is broadcast on CBS Sundays beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET. Executive producer is Rand Morrison. DVR Alert! Find out when "Sunday Morning" airs in your city "Sunday Morning" alsostreams on the CBS News appbeginning at 11:00 a.m. ET. (Download it here.) Full episodes of "Sunday Morning" are now available to watch on demand on CBSNews.com, CBS.com andParamount+, including via Apple TV, Android TV, Roku, Chromecast, Amazon FireTV/FireTV stick and Xbox. Follow us onTwitter/X;Facebook;Instagram;YouTube;TikTok;Bluesky; and atcbssundaymorning.com. You can also download the free"Sunday Morning" audio podcastatiTunesand atPlay.it. Now you'll never miss the trumpet! Several people missing from Texas summer camp amid deadly flooding, officials say What a new DOJ memo could mean for naturalized U.S. citizens July 4 holiday week expected to set record for travelers

byAlpha World

in

July 05, 2025

This week on "Sunday Morning" (July 6)

This week on "Sunday Morning" (July 6) The Emmy Award-winning "CBS News Sunday Morning" is broadcast on CBS Sundays begi...

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Ukraine says it struck a Russian air base as Moscow sent hundreds of drones into Kyiv

Ukraine says it struck a Russian air base as Moscow sent hundreds of drones into Kyiv

Ukraine said it struck a Russian air base on Saturday, while Russia continued to pound Ukraine withhundreds of drones overnightas part of a stepped-up bombing campaign that has dashed hopes for a breakthrough in efforts to end the more than 3-year-old war. Ukraine's military General Staff said that Ukrainian forces had struck the Borisoglebsk air base in Russia's Voronezh region, describing it as the home base of Russia's Su-34, Su-35S and Su-30SM fighter jets. Writing on Facebook, the General Staff said it hit a depot containing glide bombs, a training aircraft and "possibly other aircraft." Russian officials did not immediately comment on the attack. Such attacks on Russian air bases aim to dent Russia's military capability and demonstrate Ukraine's capability to hit high-value targets in Russia. Last month, Ukraine said it destroyed more than40 Russian planesstationed at several airfields deep in Russia's territory in a surprise drone attack. Russia fired 322 drones and decoys into Ukraine overnight into Saturday, Ukraine's air force said. Of these, 157 were shot down and 135 were lost, likely having been electronically jammed. According to the air force, Ukraine's western Khmelnytskyi region was the main target of the attack. Regional Gov. Serhii Tyurin said Saturday that no damage, injuries or deaths had been reported. Russia has been stepping up its long-range attacks on Ukraine. Waves of drones and missiles targeted Kyiv overnight into Friday in the largest aerial assault since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began. On Saturday, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the number of people killed in the assault had increased to two. A further 31 people were wounded. The fresh wave of attacks came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday that he had a "very important and productive" phone call with US President Donald Trump. The two leaders discussed how Ukrainian air defenses might be strengthened, possible joint weapons production between the US and Ukraine, and broader US-led efforts to end the war with Russia, according to a statement by Zelensky. Asked Friday night by reporters about the call, Trump said, "We had a very good call, I think." When asked about finding a way to end the fighting, Trump said: "I don't know. I can't tell you whether or not that's going to happen." The US has paused some shipments of military aid to Ukraine, including crucial air defense missiles. Ukraine's main European backers are considering how they can help pick up the slack. Zelensky says plans are afoot to build up Ukraine's domestic arms industry, but scaling up will take time. Russia's Defense Ministry said it shot down 94 Ukrainian drones overnight into Saturday, along with 45 further drones Saturday morning and early afternoon. No casualties were reported, but local officials in the Saratov region said 25 apartments were damaged by Ukrainian drones in the city of Engels. Four Ukrainian drones were shot down while approaching Moscow on Saturday, according to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. Air traffic was briefly halted as a precaution at one of Moscow's airports, Sheremetyevo, Russia's aviation authority Rosaviatsiya said. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

byAlpha World

in

July 05, 2025

Ukraine says it struck a Russian air base as Moscow sent hundreds of drones into Kyiv

Ukraine says it struck a Russian air base as Moscow sent hundreds of drones into Kyiv Ukraine said it struck a Russian air base on Saturday,...

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