For nearly a century, Texas’s Camp Mystic has been a beloved summertime hub of joy for generations of girls across the state. Located along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, Texas, the all-girls Christian camp is famous for hosting presidents’ daughters and for its years-long waitlist.

Flash floods surged through in the middle of the night, but many local officials appeared unaware of the unfolding catastrophe, initially leaving people near the river on their own.