27 dead in Texas flash flooding; two dozen young campers missing

Rescuers were searching on Saturday for more than two dozen children from a girls' camp and many others still missing after a wall of water rushed down a river in the Texas Hill Country during a powerful storm that killed at least 27 people, officials said.

Among the dead were nine children.

President Donald Trump said on 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,” Trump said in a statement on his social media network.

The destructive fast-moving waters along the Guadalupe River rose 8 metres in just 45 minutes before dawn on 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 for parts of central Texas.

Some 27 people remained missing from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along the river, said Dalton Rice, Kerrville's city manager. An unknown number of people at other locations were still unaccounted for, he said Saturday.

"People need to know today will be a hard day,” said Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring, Jr. "Please pray for our community.”

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.

The total number of missing was not known, according to the city manager, who said he didn't want to give an estimate.

Families are reunited at a reunification center after flash flooding it the area in Ingram, Texas. AP

Frantic parents and families posted photos of missing loved ones and pleas for information.

"The camp was completely destroyed,” said Elinor Lester, 13, one of hundreds of campers at Camp Mystic.

"A helicopter landed and started taking people away. It was really scary.”

A raging storm woke up her cabin just after midnight on Friday, and when rescuers arrived, they tied a rope for the girls to hold as they walked across a bridge with floodwaters whipping around their legs, she said.

Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said 27 were confirmed dead, including nine children. Authorities said about 850 people had been rescued.

The flooding in the middle of the night on the Fourth of July holiday caught many residents, campers and officials by surprise.

Laeighton Sterling (R) and Nicole Whelam observe flood waters from the banks of the Guadalupe River in Kerrville, Texas. AFP

The Texas Hill Country, which sits northwest of San Antonio, is a popular destination for camping and swimming, especially around the summertime holiday.

AccuWeather said the private forecasting company and the National Weather Service sent warnings about potential flash flooding hours before the devastation.

Members of Task Force 1 deploy boats along the Guadalupe River in the wake of a destructive flooding event in Kerrville on Friday. AP

"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 Texas Hill County one of the most flash-flood-prone areas of the US because of its terrain and many water crossings.

Officials defended their actions on Friday while saying they had not expected such an intense downpour that was the equivalent of months' worth of rain for the area.

First responders deploy boats along the Guadalupe River after deadly flooding in Kerrville, Texas. AP

One National Weather Service forecast earlier in the week had called for up to 152 millimetres of rain, said Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management.

"It did not predict the amount of rain that we saw,” he said.

Search crews were facing harsh conditions while scouring the waterlogged rivers, culverts and rocks.

First responders deliver people to a reunification center after flash flooding it the area in Ingram, Texas. AP

"They are looking in every possible location,” Rice said.

More than 1,000 rescuers were on the ground. Helicopters and drones were being used, with some people being plucked from trees.

US Coast Guard helicopters were flying in to assist.

One reunification center 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.

Authorities were coming under increasing scrutiny over whether the camp and others in the area received proper warning and whether enough preparations were made.

Associated Press