What I just heard on the news was that a National Weather Service flash flood warning was not issued until 2:00a. Reportedly communications in that area is spotty, as it is quite remote.

And most people were asleep.

One news report described the location of the campground as a "drainage area" and showed a Google Earth image of the river looking like a shallow creek in a swamp. Stunning deadly transformation in such a brief time.

All preliminary reporting, of course.

We'll be camping in the next month next to a small river where it enters a small lake. It's a very narrow valley not much wider than the lake and the valley walls climb steeply right out of the campground. Was just imagining being there in the middle of the night if that river rose 20 feet during a few hours in which it also rained several inches.

It's not really imaginable. That's twice the height of the shower facility. The force of that kind of water is epic. Think I've read that a car can be moved by as little as 6" of fast-moving water.

Even if my dog pulled a Lassie and provided very early warning, it'd be big trouble. Seeing images of big RVs on their sides, my teardrop would have been toast in no time. Could only hope to figure out you were in trouble in time to run up the side of the valley. Better have a flashlight handy for that.