Washington, 5 July 2025 (dpa/MIA) - At least 24 people have died in severe flooding in the US state of Texas, authorities said on Friday.

"What I can confirm at this point is that we have about 24 fatalities," Kerr County Sherrif Larry Leitha said at a news conference.

Leitha said that between 23 and 25 people from a summer camp in Kerr County, north-west of San Antonio, were still missing, though the number had not been confirmed yet.

Heavy rainfall early on Friday morning triggered flooding in the state.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he has issued a disaster declaration due to the severe flooding, calling it "an extraordinary catastrophe."

"[Search and rescue missions] will continue in the darkness of night. They will be taking place when the sun rises in the morning. They will be non-stop, seeking to find everybody who is unaccounted for," the governor said.

Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick had initially said six to 10 bodies had been recovered, speaking of both children and adults.

The missing people were staying at a Christian summer camp for girls which was accommodating more than 750 children when the floods struck.

Patrick had previously emphasized that this did not necessarily mean that they were lost.

The situation is confusing, there is no electricity and no internet and residents in the surrounding area have been asked to move to higher ground. Central contact points were set up.

Photo: epa