KTBB News, Weather, Talk

MINERAL WELLS (AP) — Thunderstorms tore through parts of Texas on Tuesday, sending at least two people to the hospital as powerful winds ripped roofs off homes, flattened buildings and tossed debris through the air.

Multiple homes and businesses were damaged and families were displaced in Mineral Wells, a small city about 45 miles west of Fort Worth. Two people were taken to the hospital and others with minor injuries were treated at the scene, according to Ryan Dunn, the city’s fire chief. There were no immediate reports of fatalities or people missing.

Dunn warned people to stay out of an industrial area where there’s “major damage and major hazards that are all across the roads.”

The wild weather came just days after a tornado-producing thunderstorm left at least two people dead in northern Texas and displaced at least 20 families.

Tuesday’s thunderstorms, including at least one unconfirmed tornado, were caused by large storm cells that were drifting southeast from north-central Texas, said Brian Hurley, a meteorologist with National Weather Service.

The storms continued Tuesday night as they moved across Texas and into Arkansas and Mississippi, according to the National Weather Service. The storms could produce hail larger than 2 inches, damaging winds and some tornadoes, according to the agency.

In Mineral Wells, where the streets were left littered with fallen trees and other debris, the mayor declared a local state of disaster. The city also instituted a 10 p.m. curfew that will be lifted around daylight as authorities continue to assess the damage, said Tim Denison, the city’s police chief.

He said the curfew was to “make sure that we keep people out of the areas and also try to help these victims out, and keep their personal belongings safe.”

Officials directed anyone who needed help to the local high school, where the Red Cross was setting up.

Ventamatic, a fans and ventilation manufacturer in Mineral Wells, said its facilities would be closed Wednesday “due to severe damage and ongoing safety hazards — including downed power lines.” The company announced on its website that all of its employees had been evacuated before the storms and everyone was safe.

POLK COUNTY (KETK) – Several East Texas law enforcement agencies, including the Texas Game Wardens, are continuing to search Lake Livingston for a missing 31-year-old man who has not been seen in the past 48 hours. According to officials, game wardens and an underwater search and recovery team, have been searching for the missing man since April 25 in the area below the Lake Livingston Dam near FM 3278.

During the search, the game wardens are utilizing side-scan and towable sonar technology, along with multiple vessels on the water, to help locate the missing person. The Texas Game Wardens said if the individual is not found on Tuesday, the department’s aviation team will join the search on Wednesday.
Accompanying the game wardens in their search includes the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Texas State Park police officers and several local fire departments in East Texas.
“Our thoughts are with the man’s family and friends during this difficult time,” the Texas Game Wardens said.

MARION COUNTY – The Northeast Texas Municipal Water District approved a water availability study for Lake O’ the Pines in Marion County on Monday, aimed at increasing water use and storage for local cities dealing East Texas’ growing population. According to our news partner KETK, this analysis also seeks to address public concerns that arose last year amid talks of selling water from Lake O’ the Pines to the DFW Metroplex.

Carollo Engineering, an Austin-based firm, was selected to conduct the study. This comprehensive review will explore how the district can more effectively utilize Lake O’ the Pines’ water resources in the future.

Osiris Brantley, general manager for the Northeast Texas Municipal Water District, noted the community’s apprehensions.

“There are a lot of concerned citizens who are concerned over us potentially selling water, so this is just a way to have experts look at everything, and hopefully, when the studies are done and presented to the public, that will ease public concerns so they can see the real numbers,” Brantley said.

Carollo Engineering indicated that the study could help protect the quality of water for East Texans. The firm stated that the study would enable those overseeing Lake O’ the Pines to make informed decisions for northeast Texas customers.

The study will employ various models to determine the best allocation of water to several cities within the district and to assess how much water can be stored at the lake throughout the year. Beyond water allocation and storage, the study will also address water supply needs during droughts or natural disasters that may disrupt normal operations.
The water availability study is expected to begin in approximately six months.

AUSTIN (AP) — One of the directors of Camp Mystic, the all-girls Christian camp along the Guadalupe River in the Texas Hill Country, offered a tearful apology Tuesday to the families of the 25 campers and 2 counselors killed in a 2025 flood.

“We tried our hardest that night. It wasn’t enough to save your daughters,” said Edward Eastland, a member of the family that owns the 100-year-old camp. “I’m so sorry.”

Eastland’s apology came as dozens of the girls’ family members sat just a few feet behind him during the second day of a special legislative hearing looking into the devastating July 4 flood. A written report of findings is expected later this year.

Eastland said he and his father Richard Eastland were on the campsite that night, and that they made a desperate attempt to save the girls when they realized that heavy rain had created a raging flood that ripped through the camp on the banks of the Guadalupe River. Richard Eastland died in the flood and Edward survived only after being swept into a tree.

“These girls (who died) were our youngest campers and their amazing counselors who we watched grow up,” Eastland said. “The world was a better place with them in it and the anger at us for not being able to keep them safe is completely reasonable.”

Britt Eastland, another director, said the camp will train counselors and stage drills for campers to prepare for floods, fire, tornadoes and intruders. Legislative investigators on Monday noted the camp’s previous lack of training as a critical problem that contributed to the deaths.

“All of these things should have been being done in the first place,” said Sen. Charles Perry.

Camp Mystic families are expected to testify later in the day.

Camp Mystic’s owners want to reopen in late May and have said they will only use parts of the camp that didn’t flood. They expect nearly 900 girls on campus this summer. Those plans have angered victims’ families, and some prominent state officials have called for state regulators to deny or delay renewal of the camp’s license, which is under review.

The Legislature doesn’t meet again until January 2027, and the panel does not control the review of Camp Mystic’s license.

AUSTIN (AP) – Camp Mystic’s plan to reopen this summer — less than a year after catastrophic floods in Texas Hill Country killed 25 young campers and two teenage counselors — has angered some of the victims’ families.

Owners of the Christian all-girls camp, who hope to welcome campers back starting in May, say they have made safety improvements and that devastated areas closest to the Guadalupe River will remain closed.

Texas health regulators are reviewing whether to renew Camp Mystic’s license that would allow the camp to resume operations and mark its 100th anniversary.

Here’s a timeline of key events related to the deadly flooding:
Inspectors sign off on Camp Mystic’s emergency plan

Two days before the flood, state inspectors approve Camp Mystic’s safety plan, according to Department of State Health Services records. Their report notes the camp complied with a host of state regulations regarding “procedures to be implemented in case of a disaster.” Among them: instructing campers what to do if they need to evacuate and assigning specific duties to each staff member and counselor.
Deadly flooding devastates campsite

A storm unleashes heavy, isolated rainfall early on July 4, 2025, that sent floodwaters rushing down the Guadalupe River through the hilly region in central Texas. The fast-rising waters quickly overtake two cabins closest to the river where the youngest girls are housed, sweeping them to their deaths. Camp owner Richard Eastland also dies in the flooding.

Flanked by family members who lost their children at Camp Mystic, Gov. Greg Abbott on Sept. 5 signs several bills into law aimed at preventing similar tragedies in the future. The measures prohibit cabins in dangerous parts of flood zones and require camp operators to develop detailed emergency plans, to train workers and to install and maintain emergency warning systems. One allocates $240 million for disaster relief, along with money for warning sirens and improved weather forecasting.
Camp Mystic announces plans to reopen

The owners of Camp Mystic announce a plan to partially reopen the camp in a Sept. 23 letter to parents, prompting outrage from some of the flooding victims’ families. The camp also says it will build a memorial to those killed in the flooding. Parents say they weren’t consulted about the decision. Cici Steward, whose 8-year-old daughter Cile remains missing, writes in a scathing letter that campers will “swim in the same river that may potentially still hold my daughter’s body.” Parents call the plan ”unthinkable.”
Families file lawsuits against Camp Mystic

The families of the girls who died in the flooding file lawsuits alleging the operators of Camp Mystic failed to take necessary steps to protect the campers as life-threatening floodwaters approached. The lawsuits, filed Nov. 10 in state court in Austin, seek more than $1 million in damages but do not specify an exact amount.
Texas regulators say they’re investigating complaints

Texas health regulators tell Camp Mystic’s owners they are investigating hundreds of complaints against the camp as the state considers whether to allow it to reopen this summer. The investigations announced April 7 underscore the hurdles facing Camp Mystic as it pushes ahead with a plan to reopen over the outrage of the victims’ families.
Regulators uncover problems with the camp’s safety plans

Texas state regulators find nearly two dozen deficiencies in the emergency operations plan submitted by the owners of Camp Mystic as they prepare to reopen. An 11-page report sent April 24 by the Health Services Department notes problems with flood warning evacuation plans, use of an emergency warning and public address system, monitoring safety alerts and safety training.
Camp officials testify during 3-day hearing

The April 13-15 hearing shines new light on what happened before and during the flood. Camp director Edward Eastland acknowledges lives could have been saved if staff had acted sooner, but insists they could not have anticipated the severity of the storm. A security guard testifies he received no orders from camp officials on what to do as the floodwaters rose but was able to help a group of campers escape to safety.
Investigator says unqualified teens were put in charge

An investigator told lawmakers on Thursday that young and inexperienced counselors were not trained to help campers during floods or other emergencies, and feared making decisions on their own. Casey Garrett said a “obedience” culture paired poorly trained teenage counselors with the youngest campers and was complacent about flood warnings. A written report is expected later this year.