Zürcher Nachrichten - Youth camp confirms 27 dead as Texas flood toll nears 90

The United States was shocked at the disaster over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, and forecasters warned of more flooding as rain falls on saturated ground.

"Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy," Camp Mystic said in a statement confirming the 27 deaths at the all-girls camp that was located next to a river.

State officials on Monday put the overall number of dead from the flooding at 88, and Texas Senator Ted Cruz told reporters that the toll was continuing to rise.

"Texas is grieving right now -- the pain, the shock of what has transpired these last few days has broken the heart of our state," Cruz told reporters.

"The children, little girls, who were lost at Camp Mystic, that's every parent's nightmare."

Camps are a beloved tradition in the long US summer holidays, with children often staying in woods, parks and other rural areas.

Cruz described them as a chance to make "lifetime friends -- and then suddenly it turns to tragedy."

President Donald Trump has said he may visit Texas later this week, but brushed off concerns his cuts to weather forecasting and related federal agencies had weakened warning systems.

Instead, he described the floods in the early hours of Friday as a "100-year catastrophe" that "nobody expected."

- Grim search -

Trump, who previously said disaster relief should be handled at the state level, signed a major disaster declaration, activating fresh federal funds and freeing up resources.

Helicopters and boats were taking part in the search across an area popular with tourists as well as summer camps.

Camp Mystic was an all-girl Christian camp where about 750 people had been staying when the floodwaters struck.

In a terrifying display of nature's power, the rain-swollen waters of the Guadalupe River reached treetops and the roofs of cabins as girls at the camp slept.

Blankets, teddy bears and other belongings were caked in mud. Windows in the cabins were shattered, apparently by the force of the water.

"We've recovered 75 deceased bodies here in Kerr County, including 48 adults and 27 children," County Sheriff Larry Leitha told reporters Monday. At least 13 other deaths were confirmed in the state.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott warned that more heavy rainfall could bring further flooding, as officials cautioned people to avoid still-raging rivers.

- 'Flash Flood Alley' -

Months' worth of rain fell in a matter of hours on Thursday night into Friday, and rain has continued in bouts since then.

The Guadalupe surged around 26 feet (eight meters) -- more than a two-story building -- in just 45 minutes.

Flash floods, which occur when the ground is unable to absorb torrential rainfall, are not unusual in this region of south and central Texas, known colloquially as "Flash Flood Alley."

Human-driven climate change has made extreme weather events such as floods, droughts and heat waves more frequent and more intense in recent years.

"There's debris all over the place that makes roads impassable, that makes reconstruction projects unachievable," Abbott said.

People from elsewhere in the state converged on Kerr County to help look for the missing.

Some residents also flew personal drones to help look, but officials urged them to stop, citing a danger to rescue aircraft.

J.Hasler--NZN