Texas flash flooding: 21 children among at least 69 killed; children at summer camp still missing
An update is now coming from Travis County, where four people have been killed in the flooding.
Some areas received over a foot of rainfall in a matter of hours.
In some cases, water rose faster than 911 responders could reach people, Travis County officials say.
At the same time, President Donald Trump confirms he has signed a "major disaster declaration" for nearby Kerr County.
Number dead in flash floods is 69
Officials have released the latest death toll, speaking to the media at a press conference.
At least 59 people have died in Kerr County - 38 are adults, and 21 are children.
At Camp Mystic, 11 children and one camp counsellor are still missing, Sheriff Larry Leitha says.
"We extend our sincerest condolences and prayers to every single family affected by this tragedy, and we continue to work around the clock to reunite these families," he adds.
A further ten have been confirmed dead in other Texas counties, taking the total to 69.
Woman found dead 'several blocks' from her flooded car
A woman has been found dead "several blocks" from her flooded car, a local police force has confirmed.
The latest death was reported in San Angelo, a city in West Texas some 150 miles away from Kerrville.
Tanya Burwick, 62, was last seen driving in an area with rising floodwaters. Her vehicle was later found, submerged beneath the water.
"Upon confirming that the vehicle was unoccupied, our team immediately expanded the search into the surrounding area," San Angelo police said in a statement.
Ms Burwick's body was later found several blocks away.
"Our hearts are heavy as we extend our deepest condolences to Ms. Burwick's family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time," the force said.
"The San Angelo Police Department stands with the entire community in mourning this tragic loss."
Twenty-eight adults and 15 children have died in Kerr County, four people are confirmed dead in Travis County and one person is dead in Kendall County, officials said.
Pope Leo sends prays to Texas families
Pope Leo has expressed "sincere condolences" to those who have lost loved ones in the flooding.
British staff working at Camp Mystic 'safe and accounted for'
British staff working at Camp Mystic are all safe and accounted for, following the devastating floods that ripped through the campsite in the early hours of 4 July.
Rescue crews continue to search for 27 missing children who were at the camp near the Guadalupe River.
Mystic was seeking to recruit 12 international staff via Camp America, but it is not yet known how many Brits took up the roles.
But those who were there are safe, the organisation has confirmed.
In a statement, Camp America confirmed to Sky News it did have participants affected by the flash floods.
"Camp America participants that were at the camp have all been accounted for and are safe in area hotels," it said.
"Camp America emergency support arrived in Kerrville on Friday night, with further staff arriving today, meeting with our participants throughout the weekend to provide support and assistance.
"The whole camping world is saddened by the tragic loss of life that has occurred, and our thoughts are with those families who have been affected."
Watch: Texas searches for missing children
Rescue teams in Texas are searching for 27 girls missing from Camp Mystic, with crews scouring a wide area by helicopter.
Searches have been hampered by the floods moving debris, and those caught up in it, over large distances.
Good afternoon
We are returning to our live coverage of the flash flooding in Texas, which has led to the deaths of at least 51 people.
A desperate rescue mission is continuing to find the 27 children who went missing from a girls' church camp along the Guadalupe River, which was overwhelmed by heavy rain on Friday morning.
Authorities have not said how many other people are missing.
Rescuers in Texas, where it is now approaching 8am, are scouring a devastated landscape of mangled trees and overturned cars left in the wake of destructive, fast-moving water.
We'll be bringing you all the latest throughout the day.
We're pausing our live coverage
We are pausing our live coverage on the devastating flash floods in Texas - thank you for following along.
Rescued girl 'was on a mattress for hours'
Texas Congressman Chip Roy has said that a girl was stuck on a mattress for hours before she was rescued.
"One of my kids' schoolmates was missing. She was on a mattress for two to three hours in the middle of the night. She was reunited with her mom, and that's wonderful," he told reporters at a news conference.
"These are the kind of blessings we should be celebrating while also mourning the loss of life as we identify those who didn't make it."
Texas governor declares 'day of prayer'
Greg Abbott has asked Texans to "join me in prayer" for those affected by the devastating floods.
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The Independent
8 minutes ago
- The Independent
Texas county deflects mounting questions over actions before deadly flood
As deaths from catastrophic Texas flooding surpassed 100 on Monday, local officials in one of the hardest-hit counties have still revealed little about what, if any, actions they took to safeguard residents, tourists and visitors in an area known as 'flash flood alley.' At a series of briefings since the flooding on July 4, Kerr County officials have deflected a series of pointed questions about preparations and warnings as forecasters warned of life-threatening conditions. The county in the scenic Texas Hill Country is home to several summer camps, including Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp that announced Monday it lost at least 27 campers and counselors. 'Today's not the day and now's not the time to discuss the warnings, who got them, who didn't got them. Right now I'm only worried about public safety," Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said Monday during an emergency session of the county commissioners court. Dalton Rice, the city manager of Kerrville, said Monday that authorities were reluctant to 'cry wolf' and order evacuations, adding that rainfall 'significantly' exceeded the projected amounts. He said officials had little time to react in the middle of the night, adding that qualified first responders were being 'swept away' driving through the initial rainfall. 'This rose very quickly in a very short amount of time,' Rice said. Dire weather service warnings In the 48 hours before the floods, the potential for heavy rains put precautions in motion as the state activated an emergency response plan and moved resources into the central Texas area. The National Weather Service issued a flash-flood warning at 1:14 a.m. Friday to mobile phones and weather radios, more than three hours before the first reports of flooding at low-water crossings in Kerr County at 4:35 a.m. The warning was updated at 4:03 a.m. to a flash-flood emergency. The warning included Hunt, the small town that's home to Camp Mystic. Girls who were rescued from the camp have said they were woken up after midnight by strong storms that knocked out power. Bright flashes from lightning strikes showed the river rising rapidly. It was not immediately clear what kind of evacuation plans Camp Mystic might have had. 'Flash flood alley' Local officials have known for decades that flooding posed serious risk to life and property in the region, and a county government report last year warned the threat was getting worse. Kerr County's hazard mitigation action plan reported at least 106 'flood occurrences' dating back to 1960. Local officials determined that another flood was likely in the next year and that 'future worst-case flood events' could be more severe than those of the past. The risk of a 500-year flood was 'not negligible' and could lead to downed power lines, stranded residents and buildings that were damaged 'or even completely washed away,' the report warned. Climate change could make the river flooding more frequent, it noted. The region has known significant tragedy. A 1987 flood after a heavy rain prompted the evacuation of a youth camp in the town of Comfort. A wall of water quickly swamped buses and vans. Ten teenagers died. Decades later, the Upper Guadalupe River Authority, which manages the river watershed, released a video to YouTube titled 'Be Flood Aware 2017.' Viewed over 40,000 times online, the video outlines the history of the Guadalupe River, its history of tragic flooding and ways the public can remain safe when floodwaters rise. 'Terrain here is unique for flash flooding,' the video noted. It mentioned the dangers of a significant rainfall near the river's headwaters near Camp Mystic. The video noted the shallow headwaters with limestone underneath the riverbed. 'If you get 3 or 4 inches of rain at one time, that can be a real serious problem,' the video warned. The storm that hit last Friday dumped more than 6 inches (15 centimeters) on the area in three hours. The river rose 26 feet (8 meters) in just 45 minutes. In January 2017, the Kerr County Commissioners Court unanimously approved an application for a $975,00 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to develop a flood warning system, according to transcripts of the meeting. Less than a year later, commissioners learned the grant was not approved. Most of that funding went to communities hit by Hurricane Harvey. Calls for an alarm The river authority has cited the need to develop a flood warning system in Kerr County as a top priority in its last three annual strategic plans. 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Texas flooding latest: At least 104 dead - as new pictures show devastation at children's camp
Goodbye That's all for our coverage on the flash floods in Texas for now. At least 104 people have died across the state. However, with dozens still missing, and 10 girls among them, it is widely expected the number of dead will continue to rise. The floods struck Friday, with water levels rising rapidly, catching many people unaware along waterways such as the Guadalupe River. While warning texts and alerts were sent out, there are concerns that a lack of mobile phone signal meant not everyone got them. A number of summer camps were situated near the rivers, meaning a number of children are among the dead. Kerr County is the worst-hit area, with at least 84 dead - including 56 adults and 28 children. Burnet County, Travis County, Kendall County, Williamson County and Tom Green County have all suffered deaths as well. Political finger pointing Parallel to ongoing search and rescue efforts, a political blame game has unfolded throughout the day. Some Democrats have criticised Donald Trump for his administration's cuts of the National Weather Service - under Elon Musk's DOGE. The White House has gone on the offensive however, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt calling attacks on the president a "depraved lie". Republican Texan senator Ted Cruz warned against "partisan" finger pointing and said his state was "grieving". Trump visit in the works US President Donald Trump has said he is going to visit Texas, but details are still being worked out. He previously said it may happen Friday. Leavitt said: "The White House is currently arranging those travel plans, we hope that it will be later this week, likely on Friday." Details of the missing The first details of the missing have begun to emerge as well. Camp Mystic was hard hit by the flash floods with at least 27 dead. This includes the camp director who died trying to save children according to local media. Flood risk upgraded The flood risk for parts of Texas was upgraded from a Level Two to a Level Three - out of four. There are expected to be some lingering storms tonight as well. The National Weather Service warned of more storms and said in areas flash flooding could be "likely". Watch our latest report from US correspondent Martha Kelner below:
