At least 80 people have been killed in flooding and storms in the U.S. state of Texas, with authorities warning the death toll is likely to rise.
Heavy rain on the Guadalupe River in the state’s south-east led to widespread flash flooding, destroying a girls’ summer camp.
Around 41 people are still missing, according to officials.
President Donald Trump has declared a major disaster in the state, while some officials are questioning whether funding cuts to the National Weather Service were responsible for delays in evacuations.
Flooding
The Guadalupe River is at the centre of the flooding. Heavy rain last week caused the river to overflow late last week, causing flash flooding across roads and highways.
Authorities say the river rose eight metres in 45 minutes on Friday (local time).
A girls’ summer camp which sits on the river, Camp Mystic, was badly damaged by floodwaters. At least 10 children and one counsellor are still missing. Overall, at least 28 children have died in the floods so far.
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Response
Evacuation orders are still in place in parts of Texas.
Governor Greg Abbott and President Trump have signed disaster declarations, which allow for more funding and resources for affected communities, including funding for home and infrastructure repairs.
In a post to social media, Abbott said he had visited Camp Mystic, where he saw that floodwaters had hit the ceiling of campers’ cabins.
Some Texan officials have questioned whether the federal Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), set up to cut government costs, was responsible for delayed weather warnings.
The National Weather Service (NWS) is a federal government bureau. Since Trump took office, 600 people have been made redundant or retired.
CNN said fewer meteorologists were based in the nearby towns of San Angelo and San Antonio.
The NWS defended its record, saying flash flooding warnings were released in advance.
