The floods that swept south central Texas last week have killed at least 120 people, with 160 still missing.

First responders have had to navigate piles of debris as they search through the wreckage for survivors.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Bernd Debusmann Jr
BBC News

We've only briefly had an on-camera glimpse of Donald Trump so far today, as he prepared to board Marine One, bound for Joint Base Andrews and his trip to Texas.

In those brief remarks on the South Lawn of the White House, Trump said that he'll be meeting "some great families" - offering a glimpse into what we're likely to hear later today.

The President and his allies have so far bristled at any suggestion that much could have been done to prevent the tragic loss of life in Texas. Trump described the flooding as a "once in every 200-year deal", even if he did suggest that "alarms" could have helped.

But at a roundtable with state and local officials later, Trump is likely to face tough questioning about proposed changes to the Federal Emergency Management System, and whether enough was done to alert residents of the dangers. Questions are also likely to be asked about whether cuts or staffing issues at the National Weather Service or National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in any way affected the emergency alerts.

Speaking alongside those local officials, Trump is most likely to seek to portray a unified front, and put the focus on both local families and the first responders who are still feverishly working to find those who remain missing.

A flood relief fund established to support Kerr County residents has already raised more than $30m since its launch on the morning of 4 July, according to the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday morning, the foundation’s CEO, Austin Dickson, said over 100,000 donors have contributed to the fund in just a matter of days.

"This is a moment of collective grief, but as someone who is part of the philanthropic response, I can tell you—it is also a moment of extraordinary love," Dickson said.

US congressman Chip Roy, from Texas, also at the press conference, says that $5m from the community foundation has already been distributed.

The relief has taken several forms, including direct cash payments, gift cards, rental and utility assistance, and no-interest loans to help local businesses recover.

Brandon Drenon
Reporting from Washington DC

A Texas firefighter located upstream of the deadly floods in Kerr County asked if emergency flood alerts could be sent to residents about an hour before the first warnings were received, audio reveals.

In the recording, obtained by US outlets, the firefighter asks at 04:22 on 4 July if a CodeRED alert can be issued. The dispatcher replies that a supervisor needs to approve the request.

Residents didn't begin receiving the alert until an hour later - for some it took up to six hours, according to reports.

In the recording of the firefighter's dispatch call, the emergency responder can be heard saying: "The Guadalupe Schumacher sign is underwater on State Highway 39.

"Is there any way we can send a CodeRED out to our Hunt residents, asking them to find higher ground or stay home?"

"Stand by, we have to get that approved with our supervisor," the dispatcher replied.

Local officials are now facing mounting questions over when Kerrville's residents were notified about deadly flash floods that killed 96 in Kerr County alone, with over 160 others still missing.

Asked about a possible police radio failure at a press conference on Thursday - almost a week after 4 July flooding - Kerrville Police community services officer Jonathan Lamb said, "I don't have any information to that point."

The questioning followed a tense exchange the day before when reporters asked officials repeatedly about a possible lag in emergency communications.

Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha earlier this week declined to offer specifics about timing, saying that officials were instead focused on rescue and recovery efforts.

Leitha said he was first notified around the "four to five area", and told local media, "we're in the process of trying to put a timeline" about what exactly happened in the pre-dawn hours.

"That's going to take a little bit of time," he told them. "That is not my priority this time."

• Read more: Texas officials face questions about emergency alerts during deadly floods

Image source, AFP via Getty Images

President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are travelling on Air Force One to Kerrville, Texas where they are expected to survey the damage and recovery efforts from last weekend's flash floods in central Texas.

In Kerrville, the town worst-affected by the disaster, the first family will participate in a roundtable with first responders and local officials including Governor Greg Abbott .

It is yet unclear if he will take questions about the state level and federal response after he has had a look.

Shortly after the disaster, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visited the area including Camp Mystic, the all-girls summer camp that was devastated by the flood.

Trump is about to take off for Texas from Washington, and is speaking to reporters briefly before he leaves.

He says the floods are a "horrible thing".

"Nobody can even believe it - that much water that fast," he says. He notes he's going to meet with affected families as well as the state's Governor Greg Abbott.

Image source, Reuters

The torrential rain that brought destruction to a children’s summer camp and other holiday spots in rural Texas came with devastating speed.

Water came crashing through the stone cabins of Camp Mystic in the early hours of Friday with little warning as the girls and staff slept.

The Guadalupe River had burst its banks after months of rain fell in just a few hours, a freak weather event described by officials as a "100-year catastrophe".

In the area around Kerrville, approximately 10 inches (250mm) of rain fell in a matter of hours on Friday. This is close to four times the amount of rain that would usually be expected during the entire month of July.

Image source, EPA

A week after major flash flooding struck central Texas over the 4 July holiday weekend, more than 160 people are still missing, according to authorities, with 120 people killed.

What started as a torrential downpour caused the local Guadalupe River to swell, submerging roads, cars, and homes. As the fast currents rapidly rose, it also swept away local residents.

Ninety six of the deaths were in Kerr County, Texas, including several young girls staying at a nearby camp. Camp Mystic, a Christian all-girls' summer camp, confirmed at least 27 girls and staff were among the dead.

In the days that followed, a massive rescue operation descended on Texas, as emergency teams came across the Southern border from Mexico to help in the rescue effort.

Questions have mounted over whether residents in the area received ample warning that the water was coming.

Now, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are headed to the hardest-hit area to meet with local officials and see some of the devastation for themselves.

They're expected to arrive late morning local time. Stay with us, we'll bring you all the top lines from the visit.