7-Month-Old Twins Who Were Swept Out of Father's Arms Are Among 22 Killed in Tennessee Floods

Facebook 7-Month-Old Twins killed in Tennessee floods

As one Tennessee family tried to escape this weekend's deadly flash floods, their twin babies were swept away by the rising tides.

At least 22 people in the Middle Tennessee area died over the weekend, while dozens more remain missing, after parts of the state experienced record-breaking rainfall, according to the Associated Press.

Among the victims were 7-month-old twins Ryan and Rileigh from Waverly, a community that was hit particularly hard.

Their grandmother Angie Willeby told WKRN that they were swept away while their parents tried to escape from their home along with the twins' two siblings.

"The flood took them away," a relative wrote on a GoFundMe created to raise money for funeral expenses. "The mother grabbed a tree and the father had the 2 twins the 5 year old and 19 month old and sadly the 2 baby's [sic] left his arms!"

Following an extensive search, the bodies of the babies were eventually found, per WKRN. The family's two older children were not injured.

Peter Zay/Anadolu Agency via Getty

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As details continue to emerge about the impact of the flooding — which has also left thousands without power and caused substantial property damage — officials say the number of people who remain missing continues to fluctuate, according to CNN.

"We need patience and prayers," Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis told the outlet, adding that local agencies are "getting overwhelmed."

"It's pretty devastating on the ground," added state Emergency Management Agency Director Patrick Sheehan. "We're going to see mostly recovery efforts at this point rather than rescue efforts."

Peter Zay/Anadolu Agency via Getty Aftermath of damage following the flooding in Waverly, Tennessee

During a press conference on Sunday, Gov. Bill Lee described the aftermath of the storm as a "devastating picture of loss and heartache," particularly in "the community of Waverly."

"There's been a record number of inches of rainfall over Friday night and Saturday morning that created devastating flooding in this community," he said.

"There's much yet to know about what the end results will be, but what we do know is that it's incredibly difficult," he added. "Our hearts and our prayers need to be for those folks in that community, many of them who have suffered not only the loss of their homes and property but the loss of family members and friends."