Toll rises to 43 in Texas flash floods, 15 children among dead

WASHINGTON: The death toll from the flash floods following heavy rains in Texas, US, rose to 43. 15 children are among the dead. 27 girls who had come to attend a summer camp along the Guadalupe River went missing in the floods. The heavy flooding occurred in the northwest area of San Antonio, Texas. Authorities said more than 850 people have been rescued.

The Guadalupe River in Kerr County, Texas, rose to 29 feet in just one hour after heavy rain. Authorities have intensified the search for the missing. About a thousand people have been evacuated from the area. Meantime, local authorities said that there was no flood warning in the area.

Videos of several houses and trees being swept away by the floodwaters following the flash floods are already circulating on social media. Authorities warn that more damage is possible as the rain is expected to intensify in the coming days. US media reported that trucks had begun arriving at the camp site on Friday evening to evacuate people. Officials said the death toll could rise. The bodies of 12 adults and five children have to be identified, officials said.