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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsTexas Flood: link to a video showing the start of surge to the crest of hwy 480 & hwy 27
I watched this last night start to finish. The videographer was on the Hwy 480 and shows the start of the surge, and how fast it evolved in a very short span of time.
The whole video last 38ish minutes. From start of the surge to the cresting of the bridge. Incredible footage. I believe the bridge is 30 ft above the riverbed.
I think he Gavin might have recorded directly to fb.
https://www.facebook.com/gavin.walston/videos/737883768645731

WarGamer
(17,533 posts)MagickMuffin
(17,812 posts)After watching this it really is hard to place blame on anyone. That water was gaining to much momentum and it wouldve been difficult to predict.
Today I used google maps to see where it was. I noticed several places along the Guadalupe River where the water has been dammed. The portion just above where the water starts to surge behind it is a small dam.
I have been on the Guadalupe River before, however, that was many years ago and it was a lazy River ride and it was closer to Austin.
WarGamer
(17,533 posts)No phones, no cell service and no internet.
So unless someone had a satellite phone... no way to warn them.
LeftInTX
(32,811 posts)We have rented air bnbs right near there and there is no cell service!
RockCreek
(1,036 posts)carpetbagger
(5,305 posts)Deuxcents
(23,075 posts)We want to be in control of everything but were not. I think maybe this horrible event has lot of lessons to learn from and we can take control of that.
Think. Again.
(22,377 posts)For more than 50 years the world has been shown scientifically-proven predictions of the natural damages that are going to result from increasing CO2 releases into the atmosphere.
Over and over, and over again, we have been warned in very clear and firm language that we will be facing these occurances, and that it will continue to get worse as we continue to burn fossil fuels and refuse to transition to non-CO2 releasing energy technologies (which are already less expensive than fossil fuels).
There most definitely ARE people to blame for this and every other horrible tragedy the chaotic climate is causing.
The people who knew that they were voting against the clean energy transition also knew that they were voting FOR these (and future) tragedies.
After more than 50 years and thousands of clear-cut scientific studies confirming these tragedies and deaths will result from burning fuels, they still voted FOR these tragedies, they WANTED these deaths and more to happen, they voted for these deaths.
To pretend they didn't know these things will be happening, or worse, to pretend these things are "out of our control" is disingenuous at best and an outright lie at worst.
Deuxcents
(23,075 posts)I have been thru many hurricanes in my life and I can say that they have become larger and much more ferocious because of human indifferences and lack of action to take care of our environment. My point is.. no matter how advanced weve become technology wise, we are not in control of how these storms..any storm will turn out. A wobble here or there changes a lot of things like direction, speed and ultimate damage. We cant control that. I certainly agree weve been warned for many years and evidence of what could happen if we dont take action to change our behavior but we didnt and still dont have the will or leadership to change..and that is what we can control.
Deuxcents
(23,075 posts)MagickMuffin
(17,812 posts)I didnt know his name at the time, but nonetheless I was telling him get off that bridge!
Especially after seeing those large trees encroaching. I knew that any one of them could make its way onto the bridge and perhaps take him out. After he did get off I noticed a log did exactly as I thought.
I spent a little time reading the fb comments, again unbelievable footage.
Takket
(23,085 posts)I THINK this link will bring you to the google map of the bridge this was filmed on? Took me a while to find it.
That video is absolutely insane. The riverbed went from dry to unsurvivable in 30 seconds. Never seen an actual video of a flash flood.....
MagickMuffin
(17,812 posts)It was interesting to see the environment in its calming state. You can see some of the Guadalupe River from the road.
Apparently there are several man made dams upstream from the bridge. Theres one right in this area.
Frasier Balzov
(4,462 posts)Makes being swept away fully comprehensible, not just by the rushing water but by all the debris the water contains.
MagickMuffin
(17,812 posts)The houses, rvs, and trash.
And all the lost lives.
😭
Melon
(551 posts)Mariana
(15,567 posts)Orrex
(65,546 posts)Nightmarish. Those poor kids!
BeneteauBum
(155 posts)No way would I be driving across that bridge. There must have been tremendous pressure on the substructure with the debris field and water pressure.
Similar events must have happened in the past to clue in local forecasters of a potential catastrophe. It would unacceptable if local meteorological predications has been curtailed due to lack of funds.
Mother Nature will rule in the end
..
Peace ☮️
MagickMuffin
(17,812 posts)Extremely brave and Dangerous. But was glad that Gavin did. I was watching the trees hitting the bridge, I knew one would crash through the railings and a really big one did.
dalton99a
(89,442 posts)SunSeeker
(56,158 posts)I can't believe they were letting cars drive across that bridge for so long after the river started topping it.
When a house floats into the bridge, they finally shut it down.
MagickMuffin
(17,812 posts)Not sure if it got rescued.
SunSeeker
(56,158 posts)
LeftInTX
(32,811 posts)There is an entire gang of us. I said to hubby on Thursday: "This is such a pain to haul all the grandkids so far from home. We should have just rented on the Guadalupe"
We didn't because the Guadalupe was so dry that we were afraid of amebas.
Now we gotta get back to SA safely tomorrow.
MagickMuffin
(17,812 posts)Check the weather often.
I use Weather Underground which is a great app.
LeftInTX
(32,811 posts)Took a longer route through San Angelo to avoid a low water area in Menard.
MagickMuffin
(17,812 posts)Detours can be the safest route. Glad yall made it safely home 🏠
Maru Kitteh
(30,374 posts)absolutely stunning.
MagickMuffin
(17,812 posts)Within 30 minutes it crested the bridge 30ft above ground level.
Duncan Grant
(8,752 posts)I dont think anything helped me understand the volume of water like this.
MagickMuffin
(17,812 posts)Incredibly sad.
Renew Deal
(84,261 posts)It goes from almost dry creek to raging river in 40 seconds. It breaches its banks in under 2 mins.
MagickMuffin
(17,812 posts)Then watching it swallow whole trees in its path. No time to waste in getting to higher ground.
bucolic_frolic
(51,462 posts)MagickMuffin
(17,812 posts)Hopefully, Abbott will make sure they are safe. Im almost certain hell keep us safe.