His optimism was fading. He paused along a Texas 39 grape orchard as friends searched across the highway in a massive field spanning half a mile. Trees once blocked the roadside view. Now, the still-swollen river, a mess of uprooted trees and scattering of volunteer searchers were visible from the road.

Although Kerr County was hit hardest by flooding, at least seven others have been confirmed dead in different parts of Texas. About 150 miles east of Camp Mystic, Travis County has confirmed at least four deaths, county spokesperson Hector Nieto told CBS News by phone Saturday night. Travis County includes the Texas capital city of Austin.