WATCH the terrifying video of a Texas river swallowing a whole bridge in just two minutes as killer floods engulfed parts of the state.
At least 51 individuals have lost their lives, and around two dozen girls are unaccounted for following flash floods that swept through homes and summer camps. Many individuals continue to be missing.
Timelapse footage of the Llano river shows the terrifying pace at which the water rose.
A road bridge crosses the river, which is filled with rocks, islands and trees.
Suddenly, a wall of water cascades down the river.
The surface level rises sharply – and in under two minutes the bridge is totally submerged.
All but the top leaves of the very tallest trees along the river disappear as thousands of tons of water flood through the valley.
Locals on the ground – including public safety officials – captured the bridge disappearing from ground level.
They are repeatedly forced to seek higher ground as the torrent climbs up the river bank.
Rescuers are still scouring the devastated landscape in central Texas, but hopes of finding survivors are fast dwindling.
Worst hit was Kerr County, particularly areas around the Guadeloupe River where waters rose by 26ft in 45 minutes following a freak dump of rainfall.
About a third of a year’s worth of rain fell in a few short hours, completely overwhelming the waterways and creating an “extraordinary catastrophe”.
Larry Leitha, the Kerr County sheriff, stated: “We have recovered 43 deceased individuals in Kerr County. Among these, there are 28 adults and 15 children.”
Dalton Rice, the city manager of Kerville, commented on Saturday: “We’ve been rescuing people from these camps by the hundreds. There are numerous people sheltering in place, so we ensure they receive food and water.”
Multiple people lost their lives in other counties, bringing the current confirmed death toll to 51 – though this is sadly expected to rise.
The most desperate search is for a group of school-age girls who went missing from Camp Mystic – a Christian summer camp near the river.
Heartbreaking photos from the wrecked site show sodden mattresses and teddies strewn across dormitories.
On Saturday, Sheriff Leitha said 27 of the children were still missing.
The parents of all the missing children have been notified – and many turned to social media to share desperate pleas for information about their girls.
Local reports suggest that up to five girls have been confirmed as dead, citing their families.
Janie Hunt, 9, was among the dead, her distraught mother told CNN.
A relative of nine-year-old Renee Smajstrla revealed on Facebook that the girls’s body had been found.
Shawna Salta wrote: “We are thankful she was with her friends and having the time of her life, as evidenced by this picture from yesterday.”
Lila Bonner’s family also statement confirming her death.
They wrote: “In the midst of our unimaginable grief, we ask for privacy and are unable to confirm any details at this time.
“We ache with all who loved her and are praying endlessly.”
Lila shared a cabin with her best friend Eloise Peck, 8, who also lost her life.
Her mom, Missy Peck, told Fox4: “Eloise was literally friends with everyone. She loved spaghetti but not more than she loved dogs and animals.
“She passed away with her cabinmate and best friend Lila Bonner who also died.
“Eloise had a family who loved her fiercely for the 8 years she was with us. Especially her Mommy.”
Camp Mystic’s owner and director Dick Eastland is amongst those confirmed to have died.
Elsewhere in Texas, four people were confirmed dead in Travis County, northeast of Kerr, and 13 people were missing, according to public information office director Hector Nieto.
The total number of people missing is still unknown.
