At least 78 dead and dozens missing in Texas floods as more rain looms

By Gary O'Donoghue, TEXAS United States 

At least 78 people have been confirmed dead in central Texas and another 41 are missing following flash floods on Friday.

Sixty-eight of the fatalities, including 28 children, occurred in Kerr County, where a riverside Christian girls' camp was deluged. Ten girls and a counsellor from Camp Mystic are still missing.

Officials say the death toll is certain to rise. More storms are expected in the next 24-48 hours in the region, which could hamper rescue teams who are already facing venomous snakes as they sift through mud and debris.

Three days after the inundation, one of the largest search-and-rescue efforts in recent Texas history was shifting towards a recovery operation.

Of those recovered in Kerr County, 18 adults and 10 children have yet to be formally identified.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said on Sunday that authorities would "stop at nothing" to ensure every missing person is found.

"It was nothing short of horrific to see what those young children went through," said Abbott, a day after he toured the area.

A major focus of the search has been Camp Mystic, a popular summer camp for girls perched on the banks of the Guadalupe River, which suffered significant damage.

The catastrophe unfolded before daybreak on Friday as the river rose 26ft (8m) in the span of just 45 minutes while most campers were asleep.

Several young campers and the camp's longtime director, Richard "Dick" Eastland, are among the dead.

Meanwhile, well wishes poured in from around the world.

In Rome, Pope Leo XIV offered special prayers on Sunday for the bereaved in Texas.

"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," the pontiff said.

"We pray for them."