At least 118 people have died across six counties in central Texas after devastating flash floods swept through the region on July 4, as search efforts enter their fifth day. The flooding ravaged riverside communities along the Guadalupe River.

Crews are digging through mountains of debris along the Guadalupe River as they continue their desperate search

Over just two hours, the Guadalupe River at Comfort, Texas, rose from hip-height to three stories tall, sending water weighing as much as the Empire State building downstream roughly every minute it remained at its crest. The force of floodwater is often more powerful and surprising than people imagine.

Multiple parts of Central Texas, including Kerr County, were shocked by flash floods Friday when the Guadalupe River rose rapidly.