ANKARA

The July 4 flash floods that devastated Camp Mystic in the US state of Texas recalled a similar tragedy in 1987, when the Guadalupe River rapidly rose and killed 10 teens attending a nearby church camp, according to media reports.

On July 17, 1987, about five to 10 inches (13 to 25 centimeters) of rain fell in the river’s upper basin, causing a 15-foot (4.6-meter) rise and prompting urgent warnings to evacuate camps along the river, according to ABC News.

Though no one died at Camp Mystic that year, the Pot O' Gold Ranch camp near Comfort, Texas, saw a van and bus swept away by floodwaters, killing 10 people.

Authorities had issued alerts at 2 am and 6 am local time (0500GMT and 0900GMT), and a decision was made to evacuate children to avoid entrapment.

One bus and a van became trapped at a low-water crossing, and as evacuees attempted to wade to safety, a wall of water half a mile (0.8 kilometers) wide struck, sweeping 43 people into the river.

Ten drowned, while 33 were rescued.

The 2025 disaster that hit Camp Mystic nearly 38 years later has renewed concerns about flood preparedness in the region.

Officials have not confirmed whether safety protocols were updated after the 1987 tragedy, despite the area’s history of extreme flooding.