Camp Mystic confirms 27 dead after devastating floods in heartbreaking statement

Camp Mystic has confirmed the loss of 27 campers and counsellors as they issued a statement following the heartbreaking Texas floods.

A new message on their website reads: "Camp Mystic is grieving the loss of 27 campers and counsellors following the catastrophic flooding on the Guadalupe river.

"Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy. We are praying for them constantly."

It continued: "We have been in communication with local and state authorities who are tirelessly deploying extensive resources to search for our missing girls.

"We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support from community, first responders, and officials at every level.

"We ask for your continued prayers, respect and privacy for each of our families affected. May the Lord continue to wrap His presence around all of us."

Rescue teams are continuing to search for 10 missing children and one counsellor from the all-girls Christian camp after the tragedy unfolded over the weekend.

Camp Mystic has confirmed 27 casualties in a new statement (The Washington Post/Getty Images)

Including the deaths at Camp Mystic, in total at least 82 people are confirmed to have lost their lives in central Texas following the flash floods on Friday (4 July).

A local sheriff has confirmed that 68 of the deaths were in Kerr County, which is located 65 miles northwest of San Antonio.

There are also five confirmed casualties in Travis County, three in Burnet County, two in Williamson County, two in Kendall County and one in Tom Green County.

Camp Mystic is located on the banks of the Guadalupe River, where floodwater rose 26 feet (eight metres) in just 45 minutes before the sun rose on Friday, causing destruction to everything in its path.

Elinor Lester, 13, one of hundreds of campers, has spoken out about the horrifying ordeal.

She said: "The camp was completely destroyed. A helicopter landed and started taking people away. It was really scary.”

The loud storm woke up her cabin just after midnight on Friday, and when rescuers arrived, they tied a rope for the girls to hold as they walked across a bridge with water whipping around their legs, she explained.

By Saturday, the camp was mostly deserted, and parents and families have been posting photos of their children with pleas for information.

The search continues for the 10 girls and one camp counsellor who are still missing (RONALDO SCHEMIDT / Getty Images)

At a press conference on Saturday, Nim Kidd, chief of Texas Department of Emergency Management said: “We will not stop until we find everyone who is missing".

Camp Mystic's longtime director, Richard 'Dick' Eastland, is among those who died, with his nephew Gardner Eastland, confirmed the tragic news in a Facebook post on Saturday.

The riverside camp was built in 1926 and the Eastlands have been the proud owners since 1974.

The hills along the Guadalupe River in central Texas are dotted with century-old youth camps and the area is popular around the July Fourth holiday.

On Sunday, Donald Trump signed a major disaster declaration for Kerr County and further storms are expected in the region over the next 24-48 hours with flood alerts in place until at least Monday evening.

This is a developing story and officials say the death toll is expected to rise.