A day of prayer was observed across Texas on Sunday as the state continues to respond to devastating flash floods that have killed dozens, including a number of children who were attending a Christian summer camp.
Search and rescue operations are continuing for 10 girls and one camp counsellor who were swept away from Camp Mystic on the banks of the Guadalupe River.
At least 80 people have been killed across several counties in central Texas after the area was deluged with torrential rains on Friday.
Survivors have told of harrowing escapes as waters rose 26ft (8 metres) in just 45 minutes on Friday morning.
Camp Mystic is situated in the worst affected Kerr County, where officials have confirmed 68 dead, including 28 children.
The Christian camp was hosting around 750 children at the time of the disaster. Dick Eastland, the camp’s longtime director, was reportedly found dead along with three girls he tried to rescue.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has spoken of his shock at the scale of the devastation after visiting the camp on Saturday.
In a post on X, he said it had been "horrendously ravaged in ways unlike I’ve seen in any natural disaster".
“The height the rushing water reached to the top of cabins was shocking. We won’t stop until we find every girl who was in those cabins," he said.
Abbott declared a day of prayer for the state of Texas on Sunday.
"All we know is that prayer does work," he said at a news conference. "Your prayers have made a difference. We ask for continued prayers as we continue our efforts to locate everybody that's been affected by this."
Churches across Texas have been holding prayer vigils since Friday.
“We have not stopped praying for those who are in need of rescue, for those who are searching, and for all families affected. Our church is surrounding many families from our own community in prayer and love as they await news. Keep praying and trust in the Lord,” said Park City Baptist Church on Instagram.
Christian humanitarian organisation Samaritan's Purse has deployed a Disaster Relief Units to the area.
"We are working closely with local emergency officials and church partners to determine how we can best serve the needs of this devastated community," it said on Facebook.
"Please join us in praying for the families grieving unimaginable loss and for our teams as they respond in Jesus’ Name."
US President Donald Trump plans to visit the area this coming Friday, saying that he wanted "to leave a little time" as the disaster response continues.
"I would have done it today, but would just be in their way," he said.
"So we say God bless all the people that have gone through so much and God bless the state of Texas. It’s an incredible place."
