Security Cam Captures Flood Inundating Business

(This was an early version of the flooding disaster in Texas. Our latest coverage is here.)

Water rescues and search and recovery efforts are underway in Central Texas after heavy rain caused devastating floods that started in the middle of the night Thursday. The National Weather Service declared flash flood emergencies in Kerr County and San Angelo early Friday morning, warning that a “large and deadly flood wave” was moving down the Guadalupe River near Hunt, Texas.

As of Saturday afternoon, at least 29 people been killed by the floods in Texas. In Kerr County, at least 27 are dead, including 9 children. In a press conference on Saturday, officials said that at least 850 people have been rescued from the area. In addition, 27 people remain missing from girls' summer camp at Camp Mystic, which sits alongside the river in Kerr County.

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Meanwhile, Travis County officials say two people are dead with at least another 10 people reported missing there.

Mobile homes, campers and other vehicles were swept away as the river surged. The river shot up more than 26 feet in just 45 minutes. Digital meteorologist Sara Tonks adds, "The soil and the river were unable to keep up with the rain as over 7 inches of rain fell in only 4 and a half hours from 1 to 5:30 am."

The Guadalupe River hit its second-highest height ever on record, reaching 29.45 feet, but Bob Fogarty, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Austin/San Antonio office believes it could be even higher. He told the Associated Press the gauge failed after recording a level of 29 and half feet, “The gauge is completely underwater.”

Flooding also inundated neighborhoods further north in San Angelo. Some areas got more than a foot of rain, trapping people inside their homes. The National Weather Service in San Angelo said it received multiple reports of flooded roads and homes across Tom Green County, calling the conditions life-threatening.

The NWS urged people to stay indoors and issued River Flood Warnings for parts of San Saba, Concho and Colorado rivers.

An additional flash flood emergency was issued for parts of Burnet, Williamson and Travis counties northwest of Austin, Texas, Saturday morning. Up to 14 inches of new rain had fallen.

Texas Hill Country and the greater Interstate-35 corridor in Texas are known as "Flash Flood Alley" because of the intersection of heavy rainfall that occurs there frequently, higher population, urban and rolling terrain, and the higher number of influential rivers, including the Guadalupe and Colorado rivers.

Up to 10 additional inches of rainfall is possible through the holiday weekend.