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Crews Search for Victims After US Floods Kill 18


Rescuers continue to search for victims in the U.S. state of Arkansas after flash floods swept through a national forest, killing at least 18 people.

The hunt for survivors resumed early on Sunday after the rocky terrain made overnight searching too dangerous.

Authorities are not sure exactly how many people were camping in the Ouachita National Forest when heavy rains caused the Caddo and Little Missouri rivers to overflow their banks Thursday night.

Officials say at least three people known to have been camping in the area are unaccounted for, but up to 20 others might also still be missing.

Rescuers combed some 32 kilometers of wilderness Saturday along the receding rivers and found only two bodies.

The White House says President Barack Obama called Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe Saturday to offer condolences for the loss of life and express his concern for those still missing.

Beebe said a number of children were among those killed. He told reporters that as the water recedes, officials are finding vehicles belonging to campers and tracing the license plate numbers in an effort to find the owners. The governor toured the flood-stricken area Friday and met with survivors and victims' families.

Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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