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Texas flash floods: 27 campers and counselors killed in Camp Mystic
The total death toll in the Texas flash floods stood at 82 as rescue and search efforts continued in the region.
The deadly floods in Texas have killed some 27 campers and counselors at Camp Mystic, Reuters reported, citing a statement from the camp.
The camp in the community of Hunt in Kerr County is a Christian girls' camp that opened in 1926.
"Camp Mystic is grieving the loss of 27 campers and counselors following the catastrophic flooding on the Guadalupe River," the camp said in a statement.
The catastrophic flash floods that struck Texas over the Fourth of July holiday weekend killed at least 82 people, with others still missing, including the girls attending summer camp.
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The risk of life-threatening flooding still lurked over central Texas as more rain was forecast for the region. Texas Governor Greg Abbott warned that additional rounds of heavy rainfall lasting into Tuesday could bring more dangerous flooding, especially in places already saturated.
Abbott said that 41 people were still unaccounted for across the state, fearing that more could be missing. Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said that in the Hill Country area, searchers found bodies of 68 people, including 28 children.
Ten other deaths were also reported in the Travis, Burnet, Kendall, Tom Green and Williamson counties, local officials said.
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The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was also activated late on Sunday after President Donald Trump signed a major disaster declaration for Kerr County, saying that he would likely visit the flood-hit region on Friday. "I would have done it today, but we'd just be in their way," he told reporters.
Trump further said, "It's a horrible thing that took place, absolutely horrible."
Earlier at Campy Mystic, a cabin full of girls held onto a rope thrown to them by rescuers as they tried to walk across a bridge with water running over their legs.
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An 8-year-old girl from Alabama's Mountain Brook, who was at Camp Mystic, and the director of another camp up the road, were among those confirmed dead.
A row also erupted over residents and people present in the area not receiving the flood alert earlier. The National Weather Service first advised of potential flooding and then sent out a series of flash flood warnings early on Friday before issuing flash flood emergencies, which is a rare alert to notify of imminent danger.
Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said authorities are committed to a full review of the emergency response.
