Texas Floods Kill 51; 27 Camp Girls Still Missing

Flash floods triggered by torrential overnight storms have killed at least 51 people across central Texas and left rescuers searching for 27 girls who vanished when Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp on the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, was struck by a sudden wall of water.

Authorities said the river rose 26 feet in just 45 minutes before daybreak Friday, sweeping away homes, vehicles and entire cabins. Fifteen children are among the dead, and officials warn the toll could climb as search teams using helicopters, boats and drones comb debris-strewn riverbanks and isolated campgrounds.

More than 850 people have been rescued since the flooding began. Governor Greg Abbott declared Sunday a statewide day of prayer and vowed round-the-clock operations, while Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said federal resources, including Coast Guard aircraft, were aiding the effort. Investigators are examining whether camps and residents received adequate warning in a region long known as “flash-flood alley.”