When too much rain falls for the ground to absorb, it runs downhill, pulled by gravity into streams, creeks and rivers.

The deadly floods that struck Texas on the 4th of July caught local officials off guard as the torrential rains caused the Guadalupe River to overflow in minutes.

A catastrophic and deadly flooding disaster devastated portions of central Texas over the past few days. More rain is in the forecast that will not only raise fears of additional flooding in Texas, but it could impact search and rescue operations across the region.

Search teams plodded through mud-laden riverbanks and flew aircraft over the flood-stricken landscape of central Texas for a fourth day on Monday, looking for dozens of people still missing from a disaster that has claimed at least 78 lives.

Hundreds of residents, campers and visitors were plucked to safety after the Guadalupe River rapidly swelled in Texas Hill Country with little warning.

Residents of Kerr County began clearing mud and salvaging what they could from their demolished properties as they recounted harrowing escapes from rapidly rising floodwaters late Friday.