The first photos from flood-ravaged Camp Mystic, the Christian Texas summer camp from which 27 young girls are missing, tell a heartbreaking story.

The images capture both the destruction of the floodwaters—toppled trees and shredded buildings—but also the human traces left behind by the campers.

A plush toy lies on the ground outside a cabin at Camp Mystic. Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images

Muddied bedspreads and strewn belongings inside a cabin at Camp Mystic. Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images

The inside of a Camp Mystic cabin. Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images

In one photo, a mud-covered plushie sits outside a cabin, while another reveals an inside look at the campers’ quarters: bunkbeds askew, bedspreads muddied, belongings strewn across the floor.

Camp Mystic sits near the Guadalupe River in Central Texas. It was ravaged when thunderstorms sent the river surging and unleashed powerful floodwaters.

Across the entire affected region, the death count currently stands at 32, but it is expected to rise. Three Mystic campers are confirmed to be among the dead: Renee Smajstrla, 8; Sarah Marsh, 8; and Janie Hunt, 9.

Toppled trees at Camp Mystic, where the 27 missing girls were campers. Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images

Suitcases and furniture outside a cabin at Camp Mystic. Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images

A view of a damaged building at Camp Mystic. Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images

The camp, which is nearly 100 years old, was hosting around 750 campers, all girls between the ages of 7 and 17, when the flooding struck overnight and forced an evacuation to higher ground.

But 27 of the girls are still unaccounted for.

“We will do anything humanly possible to find your daughter,” Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick told parents Friday, according to The Texas Tribune.

The Tribune reported that 14 helicopters, 12 drones, and approximately 500 people on the ground are aiding the search.

A large tree, uprooted outside a home near Camp Mystic. Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images

A search and rescue team look for missing people near Camp Mystic. Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images

Police officers search for missing people near Camp Mystic. Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images

Some parents have been reunited with their daughters who were attending Camp Mystic, like Jenny MacLennan, whose 10-year-old’s cabin was on ground high enough to avoid the worst of the flooding, according to The New York Times.

Authorities in US state face questions about whether they issued proper warnings in advance of rain-fuelled flooding.

Rescuers in the United States are scrambling to find dozens of children who went missing from a Christian summer camp in the state of Texas during flash floods triggered by a powerful storm, as the death toll from the disaster has risen to at least 50 people.

Officials in hard-hit Kerr County said on Saturday that the toll included 15 children.

They said 850 others had been rescued in the last two days from the area, which lies about 137km (85 miles) northwest of San Antonio.

“We have recovered 43 deceased individuals in Kerr County. Among these who are deceased we have 28 adults and 15 children,” said Larry Leitha, the sheriff of the flood-ravaged region.

Multiple victims were also found in other counties, bringing the death toll to 50.

The destructive, fast-moving waters rose 26 feet (8m) on the Guadalupe River in just 45 minutes before daybreak on Friday, washing away homes and vehicles.

While the National Weather Service (NWS) said the flash-flood emergency had largely ended for Kerr County – the epicentre of the flooding – it warned of more heavy rain to come, maintaining its flood watch until 7pm local time (00:00 GMT on Sunday).

Authorities still have not said how many people were missing beyond 27 children from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along a river in Kerr County, where most of the dead were recovered.

Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick said an unknown number of visitors had come to the area for an Independence Day celebration by the river.

“We don’t know how many people were in tents on the side, in small trailers by the side, in rented homes by the side,” he said on Fox News Live.

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Texas Department of Emergency Management chief Nim Kidd said air, ground and water-based crews were scouring the length of the Guadalupe River for survivors and the bodies of the dead.

“We will continue the search until all those who are missing are found,” he said.

Camp Mystic had 700 girls in residence at the time of the flood, according to officials. Another girls’ camp, Heart O’ the Hills, said on its website that co-owner Jane Ragsdale had died in the flood, but no campers had been present as it was between sessions.

Reporting from Washington, DC, Al Jazeera’s Heidi Zhou-Castro said rescue workers had promised to “not give up until the very last person is found – either alive or their body is recovered”.

“That might be a tall order given just how catastrophic these floods were. We’re talking about a region that is dotted with hills and with canyons,” she said.

She added that children in the camps had been particularly vulnerable to the floodwaters, “which rose by 8 metres [26 feet] in less than an hour, overnight, as they slept”.

The flooding in the middle of the night on the Fourth of July holiday weekend caught many residents, campers and officials by surprise.

Authorities have come under increasing scrutiny over whether they issued proper warnings and whether enough preparations were made.

“A lot of questions are being asked about why there weren’t earlier evacuations,” said Al Jazeera’s Zhou-Castro. “They knew there might be rain, they just didn’t know where it would hit, and when it did, it indeed was catastrophic.”

On Saturday, President Donald Trump said the federal government was working with state and local officials to respond to the flooding.

“Our Brave First Responders are on site doing what they do best,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, adding that Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem would soon be on the ground.

The weekend disaster echoes a catastrophic flood almost 40 years ago along the Guadalupe River.

In 1987, a bus and a van leaving a church camp encountered floodwaters, and 10 teenagers drowned trying to escape, according to a NWS summary of that incident.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has issued a disaster declaration. The severe flooding left dozens of people dead and several others missing — many from a girls’ summer camp.

Twenty-seven girls remained missing from a riverside summer camp in the US state of Texas on Sunday, almost two days after the area was hit by devastating floods.

As the death toll from the disaster reached at least 50, multiple heavy rain and flash flood warnings remained in place across central Texas.

“We have recovered 43 deceased individuals in Kerr County,” said Larry Leitha, the sheriff of the flood-ravaged region. “Among these who are deceased, we have 28 adults and 15 children.”

At least 7 others died from the floods in other Texas counties, news agencies reported, and at least 13 others were missing from those areas.

Leitha added that the remains of 17 other people were still to be identified.

Flood alerts remain in place for several areas of central Texas Image: RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP/Getty Images

What is the latest on the missing?

Rescuers have been scouring the area to locate survivors, including 27 girls who have not been seen since the floods slammed into their camp, along the banks of the Guadalupe River.

Around 750 girls were attending Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp, in Kerr County, a rural area about 85 miles (140 kilometers) northwest of San Antonio.

US media reported that four of the missing girls were dead, citing their families.

Frantic parents and families posted photos of missing loved ones and pleas for information.

The obituary section of a local news site featured tributes to victims, including Camp Mystic’s owner and director Dick Eastland.

The director of a nearby camp was also confirmed dead from the floods.

Officials said more than 850 people had been rescued in the last 36 hours.

However, many others had arrived in the area to celebrate United States Independence Day on Friday, so authorities say they don’t know who else may be unaccounted for.

Texas Department of Emergency Management chief Nim Kidd said air, ground and water-based crews were scouring the length of the Guadalupe River for survivors and the bodies.

“We will continue the search until all those who are missing are found,” he said.

Dalton Rice, an official from the city of Kerrville, said rescuers were facing “very difficult” conditions while “looking in every possible location” for survivors.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he was expanding a state disaster declaration and was requesting additional federal resources from US President Donald Trump.

Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that he and his wife Melania were “praying for all of the families impacted by this horrible tragedy.”

Flash Texas floods: Four months’ rain in four hours To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

How did the floods unfold?

The extreme weather began before daybreak Friday — the start of the Fourth of July holiday weekend — as months’ worth of rain fell in a matter of hours.

The fast-moving waters of the Guadalupe rose 26 feet (8 meters) in just 45 minutes, washing away homes and vehicles.

Camp Mystic was overwhelmed by floodwaters that inundated its riverside facilities. Buildings were destroyed and the highway to the camp was washed away, hindering rescue efforts.

Several other communities along the Guadalupe were hit hard, with buildings, bridges and roads washed out.

Afterward, the National Weather Service said the flash flood had dumped more than a foot of rain, half of the total the region sees in a typical year.

Several hundred people have so far been rescued from the flood waters Image: San Antonio Express-News/ZUMA Press Wire/IMAGO

What questions are being asked?

Officials and residents alike were shocked by the speed and intensity of the rising waters.

The area along the Guadalupe River has long been vulnerable to flooding, sparking questions about the lack of proper warnings.

The National Weather Service (NWS) had issued flood alerts, but US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the warnings had not accurately predicted the extreme rainfall.

Noem said the Trump administration was working to upgrade the early warning system, although the NWS’s parent agency has recently faced huge cuts, leaving many weather offices understaffed.

US Rep. Chip Roy, whose district includes the ravaged area, called it a once-in-a-century flood and acknowledged that there would be finger-pointing.

The county had considered a river flood warning system similar to a tornado warning over the past decade, but officials say the cost was then deemed too high.

Edited by: Kieran Burke

Texas flood death toll rises to 51, with 27 girls still missing as rescue efforts continue

Among the missing are 27 girls who have not been seen since their camp was hit by a wall of water in a flash flood

Boerne Search and Rescue teams navigate upstream in an inflatable boat on the flooded Guadalupe River

Rescuers were continuing to scour a devastated central Texas landscape of mangled trees, overturned cars and muck-filled debris in an increasingly bleak mission to locate survivors. The flooding in Kerr County killed at least 43 people, including 15 children, and at least eight people died in nearby counties.

Among the missing are 27 girls who have not been seen since their camp was hit by a wall of water in a historic flash flood. Authorities have not said how many people are missing beyond the children from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along a river in Kerr County, where most of the dead were recovered.

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The destructive, fast-moving waters rose 26 feet on the Guadalupe River in just 45 minutes before daybreak on Friday, washing away homes and vehicles. The danger was not over as rains continued pounding communities outside San Antonio on Saturday and flash flood warnings and watches remained in effect.

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Searchers used helicopters, boats and drones to look for victims and to rescue people stranded in trees and from camps isolated by washed-out roads. Governor Greg Abbott vowed that authorities would work around the clock and said new areas were being searched as the water receded. He declared Sunday a day of prayer for the state.

“I urge every Texan to join me in prayer this Sunday — for the lives lost, for those still missing, for the recovery of our communities, and for the safety of those on the front lines,” he said in a statement.

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Authorities were coming under scrutiny about whether the camps and residents in places long vulnerable to flooding had received proper warning and whether enough preparations were made.

The hills along the Guadalupe River in central Texas are dotted with century-old youth camps and campgrounds where generations of families have swum and spent time outdoors.

The area is especially popular around the July 4 holiday, making it more difficult to know how many are missing.

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“We don’t even want to begin to estimate at this time,” Kerrville city manager Dalton Rice said previously.

AT least 50 people including children have been killed in the Texas floods – with 27 young girls still missing from their summer camp.

Rescuers are still scouring the devastated landscape in central Texas, but hopes of finding survivors are fast dwindling.

11 Sodden beds inside Camp Mystic after the water receded Credit: Reuters

11 Vehicles and heavy machinery are littered across the landscape after being picked up by the water Credit: getty

11 Teams scour devastated landscape after water recedes Credit: Getty

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Worst hit was Kerr County, particularly areas around the Guadeloupe River where waters rose by 26ft in 45 minutes following a freak dump of rainfall.

About a third of a year’s worth of rain fell in a few short hours, completely overwhelming the waterways and creating an “extraordinary catastrophe”.

Larry Leitha, Kerr County sheriff, said: “We have recovered 43 deceased individuals in Kerr County.

“Among these who are deceased we have 28 adults and 15 children.”

Multiple people lost their lives in other counties, bringing the current confirmed death toll to 50 – though this is sadly expected to rise.

The most desperate search is for a group of school-age girls who went missing from Camp Mystic – a Christian summer camp near the river.

Heartbreaking photos from the wrecked site show sodden mattresses and teddies strewn across dormitories.

On Saturday, Sheriff Leitha said 27 of the children were still missing.

The parents of all the missing children have been notified – and many turned to social media to share desperate pleas for information about their girls.

What we know so far…

Torrential rain sparked deadly flash flooding around the Guadeloupe River

At least 50 people lost their lives – mostly in Kerr County

Families of some Camp Mystic girls have confirmed their deaths

A woman was rescued after being washed 20 miles downstream

Rescue teams continue to search for survivors

Local reports suggest that up to five girls have been confirmed as dead, citing their families.

Janie Hunt, 9, was among the dead, her distraught mother told CNN.

Woman, 22, swept 20 MILES by Texas floods & left clinging to tree in rescue… but 25 children still missing from camp

A relative of nine-year-old Renee Smajstrla revealed on Facebook that the girls’s body had been found.

Shawna Salta wrote: “We are thankful she was with her friends and having the time of her life, as evidenced by this picture from yesterday.”

Lila Bonner’s family also statement confirming her death.

11 Janie Hunt, 9, has been confirmed dead Credit: supplied

11 Eight-year-old Renee Smajstrla died in the floods, her family confirmed on Saturday Credit: Facebook

11 Best friends Eloise Peck and Lila Bonner were sharing a cabin and both lost their lives Credit: X/Keenan Willard

They wrote: “In the midst of our unimaginable grief, we ask for privacy and are unable to confirm any details at this time.

“We ache with all who loved her and are praying endlessly.”

Lila shared a cabin with her best friend Eloise Peck, 8, who also lost her life.

Her mom, Missy Peck, told Fox4: “Eloise was literally friends with everyone. She loved spaghetti but not more than she loved dogs and animals.

“She passed away with her cabinmate and best friend Lila Bonner who also died.

“Eloise had a family who loved her fiercely for the 8 years she was with us. Especially her Mommy.”

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11 The scene of devastation inside Camp Mystic, from where 27 young girls are still missing Credit: Reuters

11 A helicopter searches the landscape on Saturday Credit: Getty

11 Flood waters rose meters up the trunk of the trees Credit: Reuters

Camp Mystic’s owner and director Dick Eastland is amongst those confirmed to have died.

Elsewhere in Texas, four people were confirmed dead in Travis County, northeast of Kerr, and 13 people were missing, according to public information office director Hector Nieto.

The total number of people missing is still unknown.

Texas Department of Emergency Management chief Nim Kidd said air, ground and water-based crews were scouring the length of the Guadalupe River for survivors and the bodies of the dead.

“We will continue the search until all those who are missing are found,” he said.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he was expanding a state disaster declaration and was requesting additional federal resources from President Donald Trump.

Out of the misery have come some extraordinary stories of survival.

A 22-year-old woman was miraculously rescued from a tree after being swept 20 miles downstream by ferocious floodwaters.

And two brothers recounted how they swan for their lives after being woken up by water surging through their cabin.

Piers and Ruffin Boyett had been fast asleep at Camp La Junta in Hunt.

“The flood started getting bigger,” younger brother Piers told local news site KSAT on Saturday.

“We had bunk beds in our cabins and [the water] was going up to the top bunk and we had one choice — and we had to swim out of our cabin.”