The devastating flooding that affected central Texas on the Fourth of July has become one of the deadliest natural disasters involving children in the United States in the past century. So far, 89 fatalities have been confirmed, including at least 27 children, many of whom were from Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp near the Guadalupe River in Hunt, Kerr County.

Rescue efforts are ongoing around the clock, with 10 children still unaccounted for as of Monday afternoon. Among the victims are young campers whose belongings and destroyed cabins were seen after the flood.

This tragedy ranks the Texas floods among other catastrophic events in US history involving children, such as the 1937 New London School explosion, the 1944 Hartford Circus Fire, the 1927 Bath School massacre, the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, and the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing where children were among the victims.

New London School Explosion (1937)

On March 18, 1937, a natural gas leak caused an explosion that destroyed the London School in Texas, killing 295 people, most of them children. Investigations revealed that the gas line, connected to an inexpensive residue gas, was faulty, and a spark from an electric sander ignited the deadly blast.

Hartford Circus Fire (1944)

A circus tent waterproofed with paraffin wax and gasoline caught fire during a performance, resulting in 167 deaths, including around 100 children. The fire started while performers were on stage, and the flames quickly engulfed the flammable fabric, trapping many inside.

Bath School Massacre (1927)

In Michigan, a disgruntled school official placed explosives under the Bath Consolidated School, leading to an explosion that killed 38 children and six adults. The attacker, Andrew Kehoe, also killed his wife and caused further destruction before dying in a secondary explosion as authorities searched the rubble.

Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting (2012)

On December 14, 2012, Adam Lanza infiltrated Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut, killing 20 children aged 6 and 7, along with six staff members, before taking his own life. The massacre, the deadliest elementary school shooting in US history, sparked national debates over gun control laws.

Oklahoma City Bombing (1995)

The deadliest domestic terror attack in US history occurred when Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols detonated a truck bomb in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, killing 168 people, including 19 children. The attack was fueled by anti-government motives and targeted a government building, causing massive destruction and loss of life.

Uvalde School Shooting (2022)

On May 24, 2022, an 18-year-old gunman, Salvador Ramos, entered Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, and killed 19 children and two teachers over an hour-long shooting spree. Law enforcement was criticized for their delayed response, with some officers later facing criminal charges for mishandling the situation.