Death toll from Texas floods reaches 78

11 people missing at a summer camp

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The death toll from catastrophic floods in Texas reached at least 78 on Sunday, including 28 children, as the search for girls missing from a summer camp continued and fears of more flooding prompted evacuations of volunteer responders.

Larry Leitha, sheriff of Kerr County in Texas Hill Country, said 68 people had died in flooding in his county, the epicentre of the flooding, among them 28 children. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, speaking at a press conference on Sunday afternoon, said another 10 had died elsewhere in Texas and confirmed 41 were missing.

President Donald Trump sent his condolences to the victims and said he would probably visit the area on Friday. His administration had been in touch with Mr Abbott, he added.

“It's a horrible thing that took place, absolutely horrible. So we say, God bless all of the people that have gone through so much, and God bless, God bless the state of Texas,” he told reporters as he left New Jersey.

Among the most devastating impacts of the flooding occurred at Camp Mystic summer camp, a nearly century-old Christian girls camp where 10 Camp Mystic campers and one counsellor were still missing, according to Sheriff Leitha.

“It was nothing short of horrific to see what those young children went through,” said Mr Abbott, who noted he toured the area on Saturday and pledged to continue efforts to locate the missing.