Girls' summer camp confirms 27 people died in Texas floods

Camp Mystic, the girls' summer camp on the banks of the Guadalupe River in Texas, has confirmed that 27 children and counselors died in the flash floods that have wreaked devastation on the area since Friday.

- Jessica Glenza Edward Helmore Kerrville

"Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy. We are praying for them constantly," read a statement on the camp website.

The search continued for missing people, it said, adding: "We ask for your continued prayers, respect and privacy for each of our families affected."

The tragic news surfaced as Texas authorities confirmed at least 82 people had died amid the flash flooding, a figure that is expected to rise as more rain threatens to deluge the region.

Camp Mystic is a nondenominational Christian institution that has hosted the children of some of Texas's political elite over its 99-year history. The former first lady Laura Bush was a camp counselor there, and past camp attendees included the daughters of the former US president Lyndon B Johnson and the former Texas governor John Connally.