Eight people confirmed dead, hundreds missing, thousands homeless, and 17 inches of rain later, the residents of northern Colorado are finally being let back into their homes.

The floods were triggered by the 4-6” of rain that fell in less than twelve hours; overflowing the dams, causing them to break, and sending water rushing down the South Platte River. Some people also believe the higher temperatures had an impact on the floods as well, as higher temperatures caused the snow on the mountains to melt and flow downstream at a faster rate than normal.

This past Monday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) sent two 80-person search and rescue teams out to continuing searching for victims, while large military vehicles attempted to make their way up the mountain roads. Residents were advised to use mirrors, signal fires, or white sheets to get the attention of the pilots.

As of Monday afternoon, 260 people were still unaccounted for in Larimer County, and a total of 658 people missing statewide.  A total of 110 people were evacuated and officials said there would be about 300 to 400 people taken to Fort Collins. Officials say it could take weeks or even months to search through rubble to look for people who have died.

The flood has impacted over 15 counties in Colorado. An estimated 18 thousand homes have been damaged and 1,500 were destroyed. Hundreds of homes around Estes Park would be unreachable or uninhabitable for up to a year.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to all the families and victims of these floods.