More than 20 girls from a summer camp are missing in the flood-stricken US state of Texas, Reuters and the Associated Press reported, quoted by BTA.
At a media briefing, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick said authorities were searching for 23 girls who were missing. They were among more than 700 children who were scattered at several locations at the camp, located along the Guadalupe River, when at about 4 a.m. it overflowed yesterday morning.
"We pray that all those missing will be found alive," Patrick said.
Earlier, authorities had announced that the death toll from the floods had risen to 13.
It was not immediately clear whether any of the missing children from Camp Mystic, a private Christian summer camp for girls, were included in the county sheriff's death toll.
All other participants at the summer camp are safe, authorities said, but they cannot be evacuated at this time because roads are impassable due to flooding. The director of "Mystic" told reporters that power, water and internet were also out.
"Everyone is doing what they can to get these kids out," County Judge Rob Kelly, the highest-ranking elected official in Kerr County, said at a news conference.
Meanwhile, worried parents across the state are frantically posting photos of their young daughters on social media and pleading for information. They have all received calls from authorities saying their children have yet to be located amid the camp's washed-away cabins and fallen trees. Some are waiting to find out if their child can be evacuated by helicopter.
The camp organizers explained to the parents that if they haven't received a call from authorities, then their child is not among those missing.
In front of an elementary school in the neighboring town of Ingram, which is currently being used as a gathering point, more than a hundred people had gathered in the yard in the hope of seeing their loved ones get off the buses with evacuees.
Judge Kelly said that a number of residential areas, recreation parks and campsites are under water.
Patrick pointed out that due to the heavy rains, the level of the Guadalupe River rose by 8 meters in just 45 minutes.
Search and rescue teams are flying over the area with 14 helicopters and a dozen drones. On the ground, hundreds of emergency workers were rescuing people from trees and fast-moving water. The U.S. Coast Guard and the Federal Disaster Management Agency were called in to assist with the operation.
With more rain forecast, a flash flood warning has been issued for the entire San Antonio to Waco area for the next 24 to 48 hours. The risk also remains for western and central Texas.