At least 24 people are dead and more than 20 campers are missing after flash floods tore through Texas, prompting massive rescue efforts and leaving families desperate for answers.

At least 43 people, including 15 children, died in Kerr County after a storm unleashed nearly a foot (0.3 meters) of rain on Friday and sent floodwaters gushing out of the Guadalupe River through the hilly region known for its century-old summer camps.