Missouri National Guard rescues 202 from flooded summer camp

Missouri National Guard helicopters airlifted 202 children and counselors from Camp Taum Sauk after 6 to 12 inches of rain fell along the Taum Sauk Reservoir and washed out the roads leading into the summer camp in Lesterville, Missouri. The evacuation took place Friday, July 10, 2026, and ended with the campers being flown to Arcadia Valley Elementary School, where families were waiting to reunite with them.

The operation used eight UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and about 35 crewmembers as floodwaters trapped campers and staff in Reynolds County. Camp Taum Sauk said the children had been moved to higher ground and were safe before the air evacuation.

Governor Mike Kehoe declared a state of emergency as the rain intensified across southeastern Missouri, where some locations saw 12 inches or more fall within hours. Kehoe described the storm as a 1-in-1,000-year rainfall event in parts of Crawford, Iron, Madison, Reynolds and Wayne counties.

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood emergency for parts of Reynolds and Iron counties, the highest level of flood warning, covering more than 4,000 people. Across south-central Missouri, officials reported more than 200 water rescues as river levels surged and roads disappeared under water. At Annapolis, the Black River rose to a record crest of 28.73 feet, topping the previous high of 27.38 feet set on November 14, 1993.

Officials said at least one person remained missing elsewhere in Missouri after the storms, and about 20 people were rescued from a campground building that collapsed during the flooding. Camp Taum Sauk serves boys and girls ages 10 to 18 and has been family owned and operated since 1946.