Girl, 8, orphaned in Texas floods after family camping trip ends in tragedy
Jenna Burgess is the sole survivor of her family-of-five after flash floods devastated central Texas, killing at least 109 people over the July 4 weekend.
Rescue workers waded through muddy river banks searched by air for survivors on Tuesday as the number of those missing climbed to 160, and hopes dwindled of finding further survivors.
'There very likely could be more added to that list,' said Texas governor Greg Abbott.
Jenna's family were staying at Blue Oak RV Park in Kerr County on Friday when the Guadalupe River burst its banks, sending a torrent of water gushing through the popular holiday area and laying waste to several children's summer camps.
Her father Jack Burgess, 39, and mother Julia Anderson Burgess, 38, were both killed as the river rose rapidly in the early hours of the morning. Her younger brothers Jack, 5, and one-year-old James are still missing and presumed dead.
Witnesses reported that her father's final moments were spent clinging to a tree in a desperate attempt to save his sons, according to MailOnline.
Jenna was staying at a nearby camp that was missed by the floods.
She now faces growing up alone after her entire immediate family was killed.
In the neighbouring camp site, a Texas father left a farewell voicemail to his children saying he was 'not going to make it', moments before he and his wife were swept away by flood waters.
Jeff Ramsey, 61, an insurance salesman from Lewisville, was staying at the HTR RV Park in Kerrville with his wife, Tanya, 46, and the couple's dog when the deadly torrent struck.
'He called me once he realised there was no hope. It was a short voicemail,' his son, Jake Ramsey, 24, told The New York Post.
'He said, 'Buddy. I love you so much. It doesn't look like we are going to make it. Tell Rachey I love her,'' referring to Jeff's sister, Rachel Ramsey, 23.
Kerr County, where search and rescue workers have recovered 87 bodies, was one of the regions worst hit by the floods.
It is home to Camp Mystic, where at least 27 children and counsellors died, with the families of Blakely McCrory, 8, and Mary Grace Baker, 8, confirming their children's deaths over the past 24 hours.
'Her giggle was contagious, as was her spirit,' Mary's school wrote in a moving tribute.
Donald Trump announced at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday that he plans to visit the state on Friday alongside the First Lady.
'He could not stop talking about how sad he was for all the little girls who have lost their lives,' the Texas governor said of the president.
The Trump administration has faced criticism for staffing cuts to the National Weather Service, which saw nearly 600 employees laid off earlier this year, The New York Times reported.
Local officials have also faced questions, with Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha being asked at a press conference on Tuesday about authorities' alleged 'slow response' to the floods.
Responding to questions about the federal relief efforts, Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, said that the disaster response was handled by state officials and emphasised the administration's efforts to support disaster response workers.
Visibly emotional, she said: 'We're cutting through the paperwork of the old FEMA streamlining it, much like your vision of how FEMA should operate.'
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