24 dead and kids from camp still missing in Texas floods

The latest: Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said during a news conference Friday night that 24 people were confirmed dead.

• Officials said more than 230 people were rescued or evacuated, most by helicopter, throughout Friday.

Zoom in: The river surged to as high 26 feet in just 45 minutes and reached nearly 30 feet in some areas, washing out roads, authorities said.

• "The amount of rain that fell in this specific location was never" in any forecasts, said chief Nim Kidd of the Texas Division of Emergency Management.
• The floods came so fast even an emergency vehicle was swept away, officials said.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said during a news conference Friday afternoon that Camp Mystic had more than 700 kids and began evacuating overnight.

What they're saying: "Rest assured, no one knew this kind of flood was coming. This is the most dangerous river valley in the United States," Kerry County Judge Rob Kelly said when asked why campsites weren't evacuated Thursday night.

• Patrick said officials would do "everything humanly possible" to find the missing girls, adding Texas officials have been in touch with the White House.
• Gov. Greg Abbott, who on Friday night declared a state of disaster, called the event an "extraordinary catastrophe" and vowed to continue providing resources until everyone is accounted for.

Editor's note: This is a developing story and has been updated with new information.