Search and rescue operations continued Saturday after flooding in Central Texas killed at least 18 adults and nine children. More than two dozen girls attending Camp Mystic remain unaccounted for after months' worth of heavy rain fell in a matter of hours in Texas.
Us President Donald Trump calls Texas flooding "terrible" and promises federal aid.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a disaster declaration Friday night which will ensure all counties involved will "have access to every tool, strategy, personnel that the state of Texas can provide to them, which will be limitless," said Abbott.
According to a new death toll on Saturday morning 27 people had been killed and may are still missing. Authorities said 237 people had been recued so far, including 167 by helicopter.
The news follows at least 25cm of rain which poured down overnight in central Kerr County, causing flash flooding of a nearby river.
“Some are adult, some are children,” said Texan Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, “Again, we don’t know where those bodies came from.”
Teams conducted dozens of rescues, and emergency responders continued to search for those who were unaccounted for. That includes more than 20 girls missing from summer camps.
The missing children were attending a Christian camp along the Guadalupe River.
Helicopters, nine rescue teams and people on the ground are conducting a massive search, according to Patrick. He says the search will continue overnight.
“I'm asking the people of Texas, do some serious praying this afternoon. On-your-knees kind of praying, that we find these young girls,” Patrick said, who added that the number of confirmed dead is expected to change over the coming hours.
A local flood watch issued on Thursday estimated isolated amounts of up to 17cm of rising water, but that shifted to a flood warning for at least 30,000 people overnight.
Texas’ governor Greg Abbot said the state was providing resources to communities dealing with the flooding.
US President Donald Trump described the flash floods as "shocking" and "terrible" to reporters on Friday.
