Latest toll shows 14 children among 32 dead in Texas flooding
The destructive fast-moving waters rose 26 feet (eight metres) in just 45 minutes before daybreak Friday, washing away homes and vehicles.
The danger was not over as torrential rains continued pounding communities outside San Antonio on Saturday and flash flood warnings and watches remained in effect.
Searchers used helicopters, boats and drones to look for victims and to rescue stranded people in trees and from camps isolated by washed-out roads.
'We will not stop until we find everyone who is missing,' Nim Kidd, chief of Texas Department of Emergency Management, said at a press conference on Saturday afternoon.
Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said the bodies of 32 people had been recovered so far: 18 adults and 14 children.
Authorities were coming under growing scrutiny Saturday over whether the camps and residents in places long vulnerable to flooding received proper warning and whether enough preparations were made.
A lorry rests on a tree outside sleeping quarters at Camp Mystic along the banks of the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept through the area (Julio Cortex/AP)
The hills along the Guadalupe River in central Texas are dotted with century-old youth camps and campgrounds where generations of families have come to swim and enjoy the outdoors.
The area is especially popular around the July Fourth holiday, making it more difficult to know how many are missing.
'We don't even want to begin to estimate at this time,' said City Manager Dalton Rice said on Saturday morning.
Some 27 children were among the missing from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along the river, he said.
'The camp was completely destroyed,' said Elinor Lester, 13, one of hundreds of campers. 'A helicopter landed and started taking people away. It was really scary.'
A raging storm fuelled by incredible amounts of moisture woke up her cabin just after midnight Friday, and when rescuers arrived, they tied a rope for the girls to hold as they walked across a bridge with water whipping around their legs, she said.
A sheriff's deputy pauses while combing through the banks of the Guadalupe River (Julio Cortez/AP)
Frantic parents and families posted photos of missing loved ones and pleas for information.
On Saturday, the camp was mostly deserted.
Helicopters roared above as a few people looked at the damage, including a pickup vehicle tossed onto its side and a building missing its entire front wall.
Among those confirmed dead were an eight-year-old girl from Mountain Brook, Alabama, who was staying at Camp Mystic, and the director of another camp just up the road.
The flooding in the middle of the night caught many residents, campers and officials by surprise in the Hill Country, which sits northwest of San Antonio.
AccuWeather said the private forecasting company and the National Weather Service sent warnings about potential flash flooding hours before the devastation.
'These warnings should have provided officials with ample time to evacuate camps such as Camp Mystic and get people to safety,' AccuWeather said in a statement that called the Hill Country one of the most flash-flood-prone areas of the US because of its terrain and many water crossings.
Officials defended their actions while saying they had not expected such an intense downpour that was the equivalent of months' worth of rain for the area.
One National Weather Service forecast earlier in the week 'did not predict the amount of rain that we saw', said Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management.
Search crews were facing harsh conditions while 'looking in every possible location,' Mr Rice said.
Authorities said about 850 people had been rescued.
US Coast Guard helicopters were flying in to assist.
One reunification centre at an elementary school was mostly quiet Saturday after taking in hundreds of evacuees the day before.
'We still have people coming here looking for their loved ones. We've had a little success, but not much,' said Bobby Templeton, superintendent of Ingram Independent School District.
President Donald Trump said Saturday that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was travelling to Texas and his administration was working with officials on the ground.
'Melania and I are praying for all of the families impacted by this horrible tragedy,' Mr Trump said in a statement on his social media network.
In Ingram, Erin Burgess woke to thunder and rain in the middle of the night Friday. Just 20 minutes later, water was pouring into her home, she said. She described an agonizing hour clinging to a tree with her teenage son.
'My son and I floated to a tree where we hung onto it, and my boyfriend and my dog floated away. He was lost for a while, but we found them,' she said.
Barry Adelman said water pushed everyone in his three-story house into the attic, including his 94-year-old grandmother and nine-year-old grandson.
'I was having to look at my grandson in the face and tell him everything was going to be OK, but inside I was scared to death,' he said.
'When it rains, water doesn't soak into the soil,' said Austin Dickson, chief executive of the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, which was collecting donations.
'It rushes down the hill.'
People climb over debris on a bridge atop the Guadalupe River (Julio Cortez/AP)
The forecast for the weekend had called for rain, with a flood watch upgraded to a warning overnight Friday for at least 30,000 people.
Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick said the potential for heavy rain and flooding covered a large area.
'Everything was done to give them a heads up that you could have heavy rain, and we're not exactly sure where it's going to land,' Mr Patrick said.
'Obviously as it got dark last night, we got into the wee morning of the hours, that's when the storm started to zero in.'
Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, the county's chief elected official, said: 'We do not have a warning system.'
When pushed on why more precautions were not taken, Mr Kelly said no one knew this kind of flood was coming.
The slow-moving storm is bringing more rain Saturday, with the potential for pockets of heavy downpours and more flooding, said Jason Runyen, of the National Weather Service.
The threat could linger overnight and into Sunday morning, he said.
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Daily Mirror
12 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Summer camp boss died trying to save kids from horror floods as 11 still missing
The death toll now sits at 70 after flooding in Texas, US, caused chaos on Friday and swept away a children's summer camp. Two "best friends" are among the girls who died at Camp Mystic, with 11 still missing. Rescuers are continuing to scour through mangled trees and debris along the swollen Guadalupe River in an increasingly bleak mission to locate survivors. Authorities still have not said how many people are missing beyond the 11 children from Camp Mystic. The death toll is expected to keep rising. The death toll is now at least 70 after searchers found more bodies. The latest death has been reported in Williamson County. Kerrville County Sheriff Larry Leitha has confirmed 59 people, of which 21 are children, have been killed in the county. He added that 11 girls at Camp Mystic as well as one councillor remain unaccounted for. The US National Weather Service in Austin, Texas, extended its "flood watch" warning for some areas until 7pm local time. The warning covers parts of Hill County and "along and east of I-35 corridor," the organisation said in a Facebook post. "Additional rainfall amounts of two-four inches are possible with isolated pockets of 10 inches somewhere in the watch area," it said. "It is very difficult to pinpoint where exactly the isolated heavy amounts will occur in this pattern." A shocking report has suggested the National Weather Service in San Antonion and San Angelo - that cover the Central Texas area hit by flash floods - was experiencing staffing shortages before this weekend. The San Angelo office was missing a senior hydrologist, staff forecaster, and meteorologist in charge, Tom Fahy, the legislative director for the union that represents Weather Service workers told The New York Times. Fahy added that the San Antonion office was missing science officers and a warning coordination meteorologist. The report added that the warning coordination meteorologist at this station had left his post when he took up an early retirement package offered by the Trump government, as part of DOGE's destructive removal of thousands of government employees. The death toll in the Texas flooding tragedy has continued to rise to at least 68 victims, according to The New York Times. This harrowing number rose to nearly 70 today after searchers found more bodies in the hardest-hit Kerr County. These victims included several young girls at a summer camp along the Guadalupe River - whose banks had burst on Thursday night and into Friday morning. Officials have said they will not stop searching until every person is found. More deaths are expected to be counted in this tragedy. The US President, on Truth Social said the families of the people who died in these floods were "enduring an unimaginable tragedy". He said: "Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem was on the ground yesterday with Governor Greg Abbott, who is working hard to help the people of his Great State". Trump added: "Our incredible U.S. Coast Guard, together with State First Responders, have saved more than 850 lives. GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS!" A shocking video caught the moment the deadly Central Texas floods sent an entire home, apparenty with a cat trapped inside, down the Guadalupe River. The horror video, caught by Gavin Walston, showed the home crash into railings on the Center Point Bridge, at around 7.40am on Friday. Walston, in the video, said: "Oh, there's a cat in there." The crash even led to a tree, next to the bridge, being partially uprooted. The director of Camp Mystic, where 27 girls went missing after the devestating floods, died while trying to save girls from the horrific scenes. Richard 'Dick' Eastland, 70, was killed during rescue efforts at the Christian summer camp in Hunt, Texas, on the Guadalupe River. His family had owned the camp since 1974. His nephew, Gardner Eastland, confirmed Richard's tragic death in a Facebook post on Saturday. The director died in a helicopster while being rushed to a hospital in Houston, Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly told the Washington Post. Paige Sumner, a guest columnist for the Kerrville Daily Times, paid a touching tribute to Richard and said: "It doesn't surprise me at all that his last act of kindness and sacrifice was working to save the lives of campers. "Dick was the father figure to all of us while we were away from home at Camp Mystic for six weeks. "He was the father of four amazing boys, but he had hundreds of girls each term who looked up to him like a dad. I would never have taken a fishing class if it wasn't taught by my new friend Dick." The death toll has risen to 59, according to the county's Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick. "We're now up to 59," he told Fox News. "We expect that to go higher sadly." The US National Weather Service has warned that more rain is expected to pummel the already devastated region. The NWS said: "Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations." The weather service in San Antonio, around 80 miles away from the hardest hit areas, said: "A flood Watch is in effect." Officials revealed that months' worth of rain fell on Central Texas in just a few hours on Thursday night and into Friday morning. Harrowing pictures have emerged of the Texas summer camp where girls were tragically swept to their deaths in devastating floods. The Guadalupe River burst its banks early on Friday after heavy rain as destructive fast-moving waters rose 26ft (8m) in just 45 minutes, washing away homes and vehicles. The floods hit Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along the river in Hunt, which was "completely destroyed" according to 13-year-old Elinor Lester, one of hundreds of campers. She said: "The camp was completely destroyed. A helicopter landed and started taking people away. It was really scary." Dalton Rice, City Manager of Kerville, said some 27 children were among the missing from the camp. Photos show that the side of the camp was completely ripped apart by the floods. Beds and blankets of the campers can be seen covered in a thick sludge, with belongings including bags, toys and clothing strewn across the floor. The roof of a building is also seen sagging and pieces of jagged wood beneath it. Nearby trees were also knocked down by the force of the water. A man died after warning his family of dangerous flood waters at their campsite with his wife still reportedly missing. The family of Jeff Ramsey, from Lewisville, have confirmed that he lost his life in the devastating storm that has hit Texas while his wife Tanya is still missing. Other members of his family, who were staying at different locations of the campsite, have said he may be the reason why they survived after he called them to wake them up as the floodwater rose. Many people have paid tribute to Mr Ramsey on social media. "I am eternally grateful for getting to see you for one last huge hug last week. Rest easy my brother, we will carry your name on with love and light," wrote Morris Brossette on Facebook. Ryan Ashley Chapman said: "Received some devastating news that a dear friend Jeff Ramsey passed away from the floods on the Guadalupe River. He and his wife Tanya were camping at HTR TX Hill Country RV Park & Campground. "Tanya is still missing so please send up prayers that she is found safe and please pray for Jeff's children Jake and Rachel as they go through this awful time. My heart is breaking for all impacted by this tragedy." Incredible amounts of moisture in the air fueled a storm that moved slowly and dumped rain over central Texas, creating conditions for fatal flash floods in the early morning hours when it was easy to catch people by surprise, meteorologists said. More than 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain fell in the Texas Hill Country over a span of several hours early Friday, causing water levels to quickly rise, according to the weather forecasting company AccuWeather. The area is naturally prone to flash flooding, but this was an especially bad storm that hit during the vulnerable overnight hours, experts said. Dozens of deaths have been reported along with numerous rescues. 'In a warming climate we know that the atmosphere has more moisture to give, to hold on to and then to release. But also the thing that we know about climate change is that our rain events are not as uniform as what they used to be,' said Shel Winkley, a meteorologist with Climate Central. 'So, you'll get these big rain events happening in localized areas, tapping into the historic level of moisture in the atmosphere.' Robert Henson, a meteorologist and writer with Yale Climate Connections, said this latest Texas rain storm was roughly a once-in-a-generation event. It fell in the Texas Hill Country where water quickly shoots down rugged hills into narrow river basins that swell quickly. 'As is often the case with the worst disasters, many things came together in a terrible way.' Mr Henson said. A heartbroken dad has told how his two daughters aged 13 and 11, have both tragically died after being swept away in devastating floods and his parents are both missing. And RJ Harber has said that his daughters Blair, 13, and Brooke Harber, 11, both have died in flooding in Kerr County but were not at Camp Mystic. Paying tribute to the pair he told CNN that Blair 'was a gifted student and had a generous kind heart,' while Brooke 'was like a light in any room, people gravitated to her and she made them laugh and enjoy the moment.' Mr Harber also told the TV network that his parents Charlene and Mike were missing and he believes they have died. The two girls were pupils at St. Rita Catholic Community where Blair was preparing to enter eighth grade and Brooke was about to start in sixth grade, confirmed the school. The school held a prayer service on Saturday afternoon to grieve and honour their lives. They were understood to have been staying with their grandparents by the Guadalupe River and their parents were unharmed having been in a separate cabin. "Please keep the Harber family in your prayers during this time of profound grief. May our faith, our love, and our St. Rita community be a source of strength and comfort in the days ahead," said Fr. Joshua J. Whitfield, pastor, in correspondence with church members, reported CBS News. Shakira has said she will donate a portion of the money from her concert on Saturday in San Antonio to victims of the storm in Texas. She was performing in the state on her latest world tour. Shakira wrote on X: "Dear San Antonio, Our hearts and prayers are with those affected by the flood in Central Texas. "We are donating a portion of tonight's show proceeds to Catholic Charities of San Antonio, who are providing disaster relief to the families impacted." She previously said on arriving for the concert: "I've just landed in San Antonio, devastated to hear the news of the floods, the deaths, and the girls still missing. I can only think of their families and their immense pain. My prayers are with you on this sad day." A Texas school manager has told how many pupils were in the area where the storm hit and the community is "heartbroken" . Highland Park ISD Superintendent Dr. Mike Rockwood released a statement, saying many of its students were affected by the flooding. "Our hearts are heavy following the devastating flood in the Texas Hill Country. Many of our students were in the area, and our community is heartbroken for the families deeply affected by this tragedy," he said. "In the midst of this pain, we are incredibly moved by the outpouring of love and support from our churches, families, and broader community. Your compassion and care have been a source of strength in these difficult hours. "Please continue to keep all those impacted in your thoughts and prayers. We will share any appropriate updates as they become available, and we remain committed to supporting our students, staff, and families through this challenging time." Two "best friends" are among the girls to have lost their lives in the storm that hit Camp Mystic. Lila Bonner, a nine-year-old from Dallas, who was a pupil at Bradfield Elementary lost her life, her family confirmed to Fox4. And she was close friends with Eloise Peck, who went to the same school, and also died in the tragedy. Eloise's mum Missy Peck said: "Eloise was literally friends with everyone. She loved spaghetti but not more than she loved dogs and animals. "She passed away with her cabinmate and best friend Lila Bonner who also died. Eloise had a family who loved her fiercely for the eight years she was with us. Especially her Mommy." State and county officials defended their actions amid claims the camps and residents in towns vulnerable to flooding didn't receive necessary alerts. The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for the region on Thursday, and it sent out a series of flash-flood warnings in the early hours Friday. The federal agency had predicted 3 to 6 inches (7.6 to 15.2 centimeters) of rain in the region northwest of San Antonio, but 10 inches (25.4 cm) fell. The Guadalupe River rose to 26 feet (7.9 meters) within about 45 minutes in the early morning hours, submerging its flood gauge. It was not immediately clear what kind of evacuation plans Camp Mystic might have had. The county itself does not have a warning system, Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said. He maintained that no one knew a flood of this magnitude was coming. A Liverpool-loving head coach of a boys football team has died in the flooding along with his wife. Reece Zunker, who was in charge of the boys team Tivy High School in Kerrville, Texas, lost his life in the storm, his niece told CNN. Mackenzey Zunker said her father identified her uncle's body on Saturday evening. The Tivy boys soccer team posted a tribute to Zunker on their Facebook page, mourning 'the loss of our leader and inspiration.' Reece's wife Paula also died in the flooding, according to the statement from the football team and a message shared by his cousin Haley Furlough. The message from Ms Furlough added that their two children are unaccounted for. A statement from the boys soccer team at Tivy High School read: "Heartbroken over the loss of Coach Reece Zunker and his wife Paula. "Our Tivy Soccer & KISD community is heartbroken with the loss of our leader and inspiration. Coach Reece Zunker was not just a soccer coach he was a mentor, teacher and a role model for our Kerrville kids. "He rebuilt the soccer program and left a legacy. His passion for his players, students, co-workers, community and his family will never be forgotten. "You'll Never Walk Alone (Moto from his favorite soccer team Liverpool). We pray for all that knew him. We pray for the Zunker family." At least 27 girls are unaccounted for following devastating flashfloods in Texas. So far authorities have confirmed 43 people have died, including 15 children, in Kerr County after a storm unleashed nearly a foot (0.3 meters) of rain on Friday and sent floodwaters gushing out of the Guadalupe River through the hilly region known for its century-old summer camps. Another eight people died in nearby counties. State officials said 27 girls from Camp Mystic, a riverside Christian camp for girls in Hunt, still were unaccounted for more than 36 hours after the flood. The camp was established in 1926. It grew so popular over the following decades that families are now encouraged to put prospective campers on the waitlist years in advance. But images now show the devastation at the campsite. Texas Governor Greg Abbott says that Camp Mystic is "horrendously ravaged" in ways he has not seen before in a natural disaster. The flooding in Kerr County has killed at least 43 people, including 15 children, and at least eight people died in nearby counties. Authorities still have not said how many people were missing beyond the children from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along a river in Kerr County where most of the dead were recovered. There are still 27 girls missing from the site. Mr Abbott visited the site on Saturday and has now written on X: "Today I visited Camp Mystic. It, and the river running beside it, were horrendously ravaged in ways unlike I've seen in any natural disaster. "The height the rushing water reached to the top of cabins was shocking. We won't stop until we find every girl who was in those cabins." The family of dad who died while rescuing his loved ones from flooding in Texas shared his final, heartbreaking words. In a final act of heroism, Julian Ryan punched through a window to help his fiancé, their children and his mother escape to the roof. Read the full story here. Search crews were facing harsh conditions while 'looking in every possible location,' Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said. Officials said more than 850 people had been rescued in the last 36 hours and there were heroic efforts at the camps to save children. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem arrived and pledged that the Trump administration would use all available resources. Coast Guard helicopters and planes were assisting to ensure operations can continue even in darkness. Piers and Ruffin Boyett were at Camp La Junta in Hunt, Texas, when they spoke to ABC affiliate KSAT about their cabin being flooded during the heavy rains. Piers described how they had to scramble up into the rafters of the cabin to avoid the swiftly rising waters. Declared this Sunday, July 6th, as a Day of Prayer in Texas in response to the floods in the Hill Country.I invite Texans to join me in prayer for the communities affected by this disaster. Blair, 13, and Brooke Harber, 11, have sadly died after going missing during the flash floods in Kerr County, their father told CNN. RJ Harber said his parents, Charlene and Mike Harber, are still missing, and fears that they are also dead. Blair was a "gifted student and had a generous kind heart", while her sister Brooke "was like a light in any room, people gravitated to her and she made them laugh and enjoy the moment", their father said. San Angelo shared the following statement: "During the emergency response to the devastating flooding that occurred on July 4th, the San Angelo Police Department was notified of a missing individual who was last seen driving in an area impacted by the rising floodwaters. "Responding officers and rescue personnel quickly began a coordinated search effort. During the course of our investigation, the individual's vehicle was located, still submerged beneath the floodwaters. Upon confirming that the vehicle was unoccupied, our team immediately expanded the search into the surrounding area. "Search operations continued into the evening hours of July 4th but were eventually suspended due to safety concerns and conditions. Efforts resumed early the following morning. "It is with great sadness that we report that at approximately 9:15 a.m. on July 5th, the body of Tanya Burwick, age 62, was discovered several blocks away from where her vehicle had been found. "Our hearts are heavy as we extend our deepest condolences to Ms. Burwick's family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. The San Angelo Police Department stands with the entire community in mourning this tragic loss. "We ask that the public continue to keep the Burwick family in their thoughts and prayers as they navigate this heartbreaking tragedy." Campers and staff from one of the camps on the Guadalupe River, Camp Waldemar, have been reunited with their loved ones. More than two dozen girls remain missing from Camp Mystic, but authorities have not said how many people were missing beyond the 27 children. Chloe Crane, a teacher and former Camp Mystic counselor, said her heart broke when a fellow teacher shared an email from the camp about the missing girls. 'To be quite honest, I cried because Mystic is such a special place, and I just couldn't imagine the terror that I would feel as a counselor to experience that for myself and for 15 little girls that I'm taking care of,' she said. 'And it's also just sadness, like the camp has been there forever and cabins literally got washed away.' According to Associated Press, Crane said the camp is a haven for young girls looking to gain confidence and independence. She recalled happy memories teaching her campers about journalism, making crafts and competing in a camp-wide canoe race at the end of each summer. Now for many campers and counselors, their happy place has turned into a horror story, she said.
North Wales Chronicle
2 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Death toll rises after devastating flooding in central Texas
Dozens of people have been killed since raging floodwaters slammed into central Texas on Friday. The death toll rose to nearly 70 on Sunday after searchers found more more bodies in the hardest-hit Kerr County. The victims include children who were camping along the banks of the Guadalupe River. Officials have said they will not stop searching until every person is found. Besides the 59 dead in Kerr County — 38 adults and 21 children — additional deaths were reported in Travis, Burnet and Kendall counties. Rescuers dealt with broken trees, overturned cars and muck-filled debris in a difficult task to find survivors. Authorities still have not said how many people are missing beyond the children from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp where most of the dead were recovered. With each passing hour, the outlook became more bleak. Volunteers and some families of the missing who drove to the disaster zone began searching the riverbanks despite being asked not to do so. Authorities faced growing questions about whether enough warnings were issued in an area vulnerable to flooding and whether enough preparations were made. The destructive, fast-moving waters rose 26ft on the river in only 45 minutes before daybreak on Friday, washing away homes and vehicles. The danger was not over as flash flood watches remained in effect and more rain fell in central Texas on Sunday. Searchers used helicopters, boats and drones to look for victims and to rescue people stranded in trees and from camps isolated by washed-out roads. Officials said more than 850 people were rescued in the first 36 hours. Governor Greg Abbott vowed that authorities will work around the clock and said new areas were being searched as the water receded. He declared Sunday a day of prayer for the state. 'I urge every Texan to join me in prayer this Sunday — for the lives lost, for those still missing, for the recovery of our communities, and for the safety of those on the front lines,' he said in a statement. In Rome, Pope Leo XIV offered special prayers for those touched by the disaster. History's first American pope spoke in English at the end of his Sunday noon blessing, saying 'I would like to express sincere condolences to all the families who have lost loved ones, in particular their daughters who were in summer camp, in the disaster caused by the flooding of the Guadalupe River in Texas in the United States. We pray for them.' The hills along the Guadalupe River are dotted with youth camps and campgrounds where generations of families have come to swim and enjoy the outdoors. The area is especially popular around the Independence Day holiday, making it more difficult to know how many are missing. 'We don't even want to begin to estimate at this time,' Kerrville City manager Dalton Rice said on Saturday. Survivors shared terrifying stories of being swept away and clinging to trees as rampaging floodwaters carried trees and cars past them. Others fled to attics inside their homes, praying the water would not reach them. At Camp Mystic, a cabin full of girls held onto a rope strung by rescuers as they walked across a bridge with water whipping around their legs. Among those confirmed dead were an eight-year-old girl from Mountain Brook, Alabama, who was at Camp Mystic, and the director of another camp up the road. Locals know the area as ' flash flood alley' but the flooding in the middle of the night caught many campers and residents by surprise even though there were warnings. The National Weather Service on Thursday advised of potential flooding and then sent out a series of flash flood warnings in the early hours of Friday before issuing flash flood emergencies — a rare alert notifying of imminent danger.
Glasgow Times
3 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Death toll rises after devastating flooding in central Texas
Dozens of people have been killed since raging floodwaters slammed into central Texas on Friday. The death toll rose to nearly 70 on Sunday after searchers found more more bodies in the hardest-hit Kerr County. The victims include children who were camping along the banks of the Guadalupe River. Officials have said they will not stop searching until every person is found. Besides the 59 dead in Kerr County — 38 adults and 21 children — additional deaths were reported in Travis, Burnet and Kendall counties. Rescuers dealt with broken trees, overturned cars and muck-filled debris in a difficult task to find survivors. Authorities still have not said how many people are missing beyond the children from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp where most of the dead were recovered. With each passing hour, the outlook became more bleak. Volunteers and some families of the missing who drove to the disaster zone began searching the riverbanks despite being asked not to do so. Authorities faced growing questions about whether enough warnings were issued in an area vulnerable to flooding and whether enough preparations were made. The destructive, fast-moving waters rose 26ft on the river in only 45 minutes before daybreak on Friday, washing away homes and vehicles. The danger was not over as flash flood watches remained in effect and more rain fell in central Texas on Sunday. Debris on a bridge over the Guadalupe River after the flooding (Julio Cortez/AP) Searchers used helicopters, boats and drones to look for victims and to rescue people stranded in trees and from camps isolated by washed-out roads. Officials said more than 850 people were rescued in the first 36 hours. Governor Greg Abbott vowed that authorities will work around the clock and said new areas were being searched as the water receded. He declared Sunday a day of prayer for the state. 'I urge every Texan to join me in prayer this Sunday — for the lives lost, for those still missing, for the recovery of our communities, and for the safety of those on the front lines,' he said in a statement. In Rome, Pope Leo XIV offered special prayers for those touched by the disaster. History's first American pope spoke in English at the end of his Sunday noon blessing, saying 'I would like to express sincere condolences to all the families who have lost loved ones, in particular their daughters who were in summer camp, in the disaster caused by the flooding of the Guadalupe River in Texas in the United States. We pray for them.' The hills along the Guadalupe River are dotted with youth camps and campgrounds where generations of families have come to swim and enjoy the outdoors. The area is especially popular around the Independence Day holiday, making it more difficult to know how many are missing. 'We don't even want to begin to estimate at this time,' Kerrville City manager Dalton Rice said on Saturday. Fast-moving waters rose 26 feet in 45 minutes, washing away homes and vehicles (Eric Gay/AP) Survivors shared terrifying stories of being swept away and clinging to trees as rampaging floodwaters carried trees and cars past them. Others fled to attics inside their homes, praying the water would not reach them. At Camp Mystic, a cabin full of girls held onto a rope strung by rescuers as they walked across a bridge with water whipping around their legs. Among those confirmed dead were an eight-year-old girl from Mountain Brook, Alabama, who was at Camp Mystic, and the director of another camp up the road. Locals know the area as ' flash flood alley' but the flooding in the middle of the night caught many campers and residents by surprise even though there were warnings. The National Weather Service on Thursday advised of potential flooding and then sent out a series of flash flood warnings in the early hours of Friday before issuing flash flood emergencies — a rare alert notifying of imminent danger.
