Texas flash floods: 24 summer camp girls missing; many killed amid warning of more rain, flash floods
The destructive fast-moving waters along the Guadalupe river in in Kerrville surged 26 feet (8 meters) in just 45 minutes before dawn on Friday, washing away homes and vehicles
In a tragic incident, around two dozen girls at a summer camp have gone missing after massive flooding was caused in few hours in Kerrville, Texas, United States on Friday.
The destructive fast-moving waters along the Guadalupe river in in Kerrville surged 26 feet (8 meters) in just 45 minutes before dawn on Friday, washing away homes and vehicles.
At least 24 people are reportedly killed due to the natural disaster.
Rescue teams continued their search through the dark on early Saturday for the missing girls, who had been attending Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along the Guadalupe river.
Helicopters and drones were being used to look for victims and rescue stranded people.
Parents and families frantically posted photos of their missing children and pleas for information .
13-year-old Elinor Lester, one of hundreds of campers at Camp Mystic, said: “The camp was completely destroyed,” reported news agency Associated Press(AP).
“A helicopter landed and started taking people away. It was really scary,” she said.
Lester narrated that a raging storm 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 floodwaters whipping around their legs.
The flood-prone region known as Hill Country is dotted with century-old summer camps that draw thousands of kids annually from across the Lone Star State.
Texas people caught by surprise
The fast flooding in the middle of the night on July 4 caught many residents, campers and officials by surprise.
According to the APreport, a river gauge near Camp Mystic recorded a 22 foot rise (6.7 meters) in about two hours, said meteorologist Bob Fogarty at the National Weather Service’s Austin/San Antonio office.
“The water’s moving so fast, you’re not going to recognize how bad it is until it’s on top of you,” Fogarty added.
The danger was not over as more heavy rains have been predicted on Saturday, with flash flood warnings too.
At a news conference late on Friday, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said 24 people were confirmed dead.
About 240 people had been recued, said authorities.
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