The relentless search for missing children in the wake of Texas's catastrophic flooding continues, with Cajun Navy volunteers facing formidable challenges. Nick Sorter, a member of the United Cajun Navy, a volunteer rescue group from Louisiana, provided a somber update to CNN on Saturday afternoon, July 5, 2025, from the heart of the disaster.
“The people have lost everything. If your house was even close to the riverbank, it’s gone, swept off the foundation,” Sorter said. “At this point, we don’t know how many people were even home when this happened. If you were home … you probably got swept down the river.”
The flooding, which began early on Friday, July 4, has claimed at least 27 lives, including nine children, with the toll expected to rise as rescue operations persist. Camp Mystic, a private Christian summer camp for girls in Hunt, located perilously close to the Guadalupe River, has become a focal point of the tragedy. At least one girl is confirmed dead, and 27 remain missing, trapped between a cliff and the rapidly rising waters.
“There was nowhere for these kids to go. The buildings were washed out, just carved out from the inside,” Sorter described, highlighting the severity of the destruction.
The rescue efforts are further complicated by a severe debris field, with downed trees obstructing the path of riverboats. Low-hanging clouds have also hindered helicopter operations, slowing down the response. Overnight, connectivity issues exacerbated the situation, as search teams working in pitch-black darkness struggled with non-functional radios and cell phones. However, some teams managed to regain contact using Starlink, a satellite internet system now being integrated into every first responder vehicle across Kerr County to mitigate future disruptions.
Amid the despair, a glimmer of hope emerged with the miraculous rescue of a young girl found alive after being swept 12 miles downstream, surviving by clinging to a tree. “That is nothing short of a miracle,” Sorter said. “It’s remarkable that she was able to survive, that she beat the odds.”
