Walston drove from his home to the Center Point Bridge on FM 480 near Highway 27, where he shot video of the river below. He recorded nearly 38 minutes of surging water as it rose over 20 feet, carrying massive cypress trees, debris and even a house.

Rain rushing to the Guadalupe took it from a depth of less than 8 feet to 37.5 feet, a deluge with as much volume as an aircraft carrier over five minutes.

Flash floods surged through in the middle of the night, but many local officials appeared unaware of the unfolding catastrophe, initially leaving people near the river on their own.

With more than 170 still missing, communities must reconcile how to pick up the pieces around a waterway that remains both a wellspring and a looming menace.

Eyewitness accounts reveal terrifying moments when a massive flood struck Hunt, Texas on July Fourth, killing more than 100 people.