Flash floods in Texas: at least 24 dead and 20 girls missing

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said during a news conference Friday night that the state is committing all the necessary resources to continue with a search and rescue mission, including members of the Texas National Guard and state troopers.

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At least 24 people were dead and many missing after a storm unleashed nearly a foot of rain just before dawn Friday and sent floodwaters gushing out of the Guadalupe River, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha told reporters Friday evening. The flood-prone region known as Hill Country is dotted with century-old summer camps that draw thousands of kids annually from across the Lone Star State.

There was little warning as the Guadalupe River rose 26 feet (7.9m) in less than an hour and flooding that followed swept away mobile homes, vehicles and holiday cabins where people were spending the 4 July weekend.