Devastating time-lapse footage has revealed just how quickly the Texas flash floods consumed the area.
At the time of writing, at least 82 people have been confirmed to have died in catastrophic flash flooding across the state, with at least 41 people still missing, per Sky News.
This includes young girls and a counselor from Camp Mystic, a beloved Christian summer camp for girls along the Guadalupe River, which held approximately 750 campers.
At Camp Mystic alone, 27 people have died, the camp confirmed in a statement to NBC News.
“This tragedy has devastated us and our entire community. Our hearts are broken alongside the families that are enduring this tragedy, and we share their hope and prayers,” Camp Mystic said.
Camp director Dick Eastland died trying to save the campers “he so loved and cared for,” his grandson George shared on social media.
At the time of writing, 10 campers and one counsellor remain missing.
The flooding disaster struck in the early hours on Friday, with water bursting from the Guadalupe River’s banks around 4:00AM, sweeping through Kerr County and beyond, claiming the lives of at least 68 people there, including 28 children.
At least two people died in nearby Kendall County, with six deaths reported in Travis County and four deaths in Burnet County. Williamson and Tom Green counties each reported at least one fatality.
Shocking time-lapse footage has revealed just how quickly the floods took hold of the area.
Amid the devastation, US President Donald Trump signed a “major disaster declaration” for Kerr County to ensure rescuers receive critical resources, as Texas Governor Greg Abbott pledged that rescue crews will work around the clock to locate those still unaccounted for.
“There are people who are missing who are not on the ‘known confirmed missing’ because we do not know who they are,” Governor Abbott said, urging families of people who may have been camping in Kerr County to contact local authorities to help identify who may still be missing.
As families wait for news, police are collecting DNA from relatives to help identify flood victims. Colonel Freeman Martin from the Texas Department of Public Safety shared that multiple “unidentified” victims, both adults and children, are currently at funeral homes.
“We will have rapid DNA in hours, not days, to get some closure and information back to those families,” Colonel Freeman Martin said, adding that the death toll is expected to rise in the coming days.
The tragedy is far from over, as Governor Abbott warned of additional heavy rainfall lasting into Tuesday that could produce “rapid flash flooding events” in already saturated areas.
The governor urged Texans to remain vigilant and to avoid unnecessary travel during the dangerous conditions, warning of the deadly risks of being swept away in floodwaters.
“Rising water on roads can occur very rapidly. You may think you can drive through it, only to find out when you’re in there that it is too late and you are getting swept away,” Abbott said.
“You don’t need to get from point A to point B if you are going to risk your life,” he added, telling people to “turn around, don’t drown.”
Our thoughts continue to go out to every person and family impacted by this tragedy.