24 Dead, Over 20 Girls Missing From Texas Summer Camp as Rescuers Race Against Time

A frantic search is underway in south-central Texas, where devastating flash floods have killed at least 24 people and left more than 20 girls missing from a Christian summer camp.

Torrential rains pounded the region on Friday, triggering catastrophic flooding, with more storms forecast for the weekend.

Rescue teams, comprising over 500 personnel and 14 helicopters, have been deployed across the flood-stricken area northwest of San Antonio, as families and authorities cling to hope.

At least 237 individuals have already been rescued or evacuated, including 167 airlifted to safety, according to Texas military officials.

The missing children are from Camp Mystic, a popular riverside Christian summer camp located near the rapidly swelling Guadalupe River in Kerr County.

The normally calm river turned into a violent torrent, sweeping away vehicles and even homes. Authorities fear the death toll could rise, as hopes of locating the girls diminish with every passing hour.

“It rained in a day what it usually rains in a year,” said Gerardo Martinez, 61, a local resident who witnessed the deluge. “The water reached the top of the trees… Cars, whole houses were going down the river. That was pretty bad.”

Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha confirmed the current death toll and ongoing search efforts during a Friday evening press conference, while Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick described the scale of the disaster as “unimaginable.”

The National Weather Service has warned residents to brace for continued rainfall and “locally catastrophic” flash flooding, urging those in danger zones to immediately seek higher ground.

The tragedy has sent shockwaves across Texas and the nation, with emergency responders working tirelessly as the community waits in anguish for news of the missing children.