One is freckled with braces. Another has made himself fine with a diadem and braids. All of them blink at the camera in the pictures that have been posted by desperate relatives on social media along with the word "missing".
In the Kerr county area, northwest of San Antonio, there is a mix of shock and feverish activity. During the night until Friday, the scenic area was hit by sudden downpours, before dawn the Guadalupe River rose a full eight meters in 45 minutes. The water masses swept away children and adults from the area, which is popular among campers.
The only thing that saved me was that I clung to him (my son), Erin Burgess tells the TV channel Fox News, about her dramatic rescue from her home in nearby Ingram.
The water flooded the family's house in just a few minutes and forced them outdoors, where they held on to trees until the water began to recede.
"Chocking" height
At Camp Mystic in Kerr, right next to the river, a Christian summer camp with 750 participants was underway. Many were able to be evacuated from there, but about a dozen girls are still missing.
A helicopter landed and started transporting people away. It was very scary, says a 13-year-old girl who was rescued, to AP.
"The height that the rushing water reached in the cabins was chocking", writes Texas Governor Greg Abbot on X after visiting the site and promising to continue the search and rescue efforts with full force.
Greg Abbot has signed a disaster declaration and all available resources have been deployed. Hundreds are working on the rescue effort with the support of helicopters, boats, and drones.
41 people missing
The total death toll in Texas is up to 80, the authorities announced at 4 pm local time. The hardest hit is Kerr county with 68 dead. In Travis, Burnet, Kendall, Tom Green, and Williamson counties, a total of 12 fatalities have been confirmed, reports CNN.
–Throughout the entire state, in all areas affected by the flood, 41 people are confirmed missing, says Governor Greg Abbott at a press conference during the afternoon.
Abbott warns that floods still pose a risk in parts of Texas over the next few days. People in these areas should understand that "the ground is already saturated", and that when more rain falls, it can lead to "rapid flash floods".
In the heavily affected Kerrville, between 2 and 4 inches of rain was expected on Sunday.
