There was a flood watch issued on July 3 at approximately 2:00pm Central time which was in effect through July 5. A flash flood warning and emergency warnings were issued at 2:00am on July 4 telling people to immediately seek higher ground. Unfortunately, the river rose much faster than expected and the camps appeared to not have emergency evacuation plans in place or 24/7 monitoring of severe weather. The systems may have been in place, but it doesn’t seem to be the case. In addition to the children’s camps, there were also campgrounds in the area.
My grandson was at Camp La Junta (all boys camp) and awoke shortly after 2:00am with water already inside the cabin. Families were notified quickly which was a tremendous relief. I think all of the boys from that camp survived but they were obviously very frightened. Online videos showed the speed at which the water rose and demonstrates the limited amount of time individuals had to react. Water was estimated to have risen in excess of 25 feet in a very short period of time.
This camping area had flooded years ago (~1987) and I am curious if the camps had emergency plans in place. The rescue personnel are still working to locate missing people. Prayers for the families of the victims and to those helping in rescue operations.
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