(CNN) [Breaking news update, posted at 8:13 a.m. ET]

At least 26 people have died as a result of flooding in West Virginia, the Kanawha County Sheriff's Office said Saturday, after another three victims were found overnight.

[Previous update, posted at 7:05 a.m. ET]

Massive floods sent raging waters across West Virginia, killing at least 23 people and leaving hundreds stranded, officials said.

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin announced 14 deaths at a news conference Friday afternoon. By that night, the West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management had increased the death toll to 23.

Trees and power lines fell as heavy rains sent creeks and rivers out of their banks late Thursday and early Friday, leaving many stranded residents waiting to be rescued.

Forty-four counties declared a state of emergency Thursday night, primarily in the southeastern part of West Virginia. Elkview, Clendenin and Frame have been hit the hardest by the flooding, officials said.

Tomblin activated 200 National Guard members to assist in eight counties and has authorization for as many as 300 more to help with the rescue and response efforts, the governor's office said Friday.

"Together with the National Guard, our first responders, local emergency management officials and firefighters from across the state have been working around the clock, and we are deeply appreciative of their efforts," Tomblin said in the statement.

A 4-year-old boy was washed away by rapid floodwaters in Jackson County , officials said. The child was playing with his sister behind their home when he fell into a stream that had instantly turned into a rushing current after the relentless storms. An 8-year old boy from Ravenswood was also killed in the violent storm.

Severe damage to homes and infrastructure can be seen throughout the state, residents said. At one point during the height of the storm, there were 64 active emergency calls in Kanawha County, according to county spokeswoman Brooke Hylbert.

Cars submerged in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia

A 1,000-year flood

The high terrain along rivers in southeastern West Virginia are exacerbating the flooding, meteorologists said.

Weather radar estimates show that more than 10 inches of rain have fallen in portions of Greenbrier County. There is a 1 in 1,000 chance of this type of rainfall happening in any given year, according to the National Weather Service.

In Kanawha County, which includes the capital of Charleston, the Elkview River crested at 33.37 feet Friday morning, meteorologists said. The river rose more than 27 feet from Thursday afternoon to Friday morning, the highest crest since record-keeping began more than 125 years ago, according to the National Weather Service.

Photos: West Virginia flooding People are transported on a boat during flooding in West Virginia on Sunday, June 26. Fast-moving floodwaters have killed at least 24 people, state officials said. Hide Caption 1 of 21 Photos: West Virginia flooding A building is damaged in Bergoo, West Virginia, on June 26. Hide Caption 2 of 21 Photos: West Virginia flooding A car sits in floodwaters in Jordan Creek, West Virginia, on June 26. Hide Caption 3 of 21 Photos: West Virginia flooding Water surrounds a house in Clendenin, West Virginia, on June 26. Hide Caption 4 of 21 Photos: West Virginia flooding People survey a mud-covered street after the floodwaters of the Elk River receded in Clendenin on Saturday, June 25. Hide Caption 5 of 21 Photos: West Virginia flooding People in Clendenin look through personal items that were brought in as part of a local relief effort on June 25. Hide Caption 6 of 21 Photos: West Virginia flooding People carry personal belongings down the mud-covered steps of their home in Clendenin on June 25. Hide Caption 7 of 21 Photos: West Virginia flooding Larry Brooks walks down the muddy hallway of his trailer in Elkview, West Virginia, on June 25. Brooks said he lost about 95% of the personal belongings in his home. Hide Caption 8 of 21 Photos: West Virginia flooding West Virginia State Trooper C.S. Hartman, left, and Bridgeport firefighter Ryan Moran wade through flooded streets as they search homes in Rainelle, West Virginia, on June 25. Hide Caption 9 of 21 Photos: West Virginia flooding Paul Raines looks over his flooded Western Auto store in Rainelle on June 25. Hide Caption 10 of 21 Photos: West Virginia flooding Lt. Dennis Feazell, of the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources, rows a boat as he and a co-worker search flooded homes in Rainelle on June 25. Hide Caption 11 of 21 Photos: West Virginia flooding An SUV makes a wake along a flooded street in Richwood, West Virginia, on Friday, June 24. Hide Caption 12 of 21 Photos: West Virginia flooding Ron Scott recovers a shirt from the remnants of his home after it was swept off its foundation and burned in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, on June 24. Hide Caption 13 of 21 Photos: West Virginia flooding Employees and volunteers with Main Street Motors attempt to get company documents out of a flood-damaged building in Richwood on June 24. Hide Caption 14 of 21 Photos: West Virginia flooding Mark Bowes makes his way to a road after severe flooding in White Sulphur Springs on June 24. Hide Caption 15 of 21 Photos: West Virginia flooding A vehicle is washed away in White Sulphur Springs on June 24. Hide Caption 16 of 21 Photos: West Virginia flooding Lee Bland looks for belongings in the burned-out home of a relative as they clean up from severe flooding in White Sulphur Springs on June 24. Hide Caption 17 of 21 Photos: West Virginia flooding Overturned cars litter the street in White Sulphur Springs on June 24. Hide Caption 18 of 21 Photos: West Virginia flooding Jimmy Scott gets a hug from Anna May Watson as they clean up in White Sulphur Springs on June 24. Hide Caption 19 of 21 Photos: West Virginia flooding Mark Lester cleans out a box with creek water as he cleans up in White Sulphur Springs on June 24. Hide Caption 20 of 21 Photos: West Virginia flooding A vehicle rests on its roof after flooding near White Sulphur Springs on June 24. Hide Caption 21 of 21

500 stranded at a mall for more than a day

In that same county, nearly 500 people were stranded at the Elkview Crossings Mall in Elkview for more than 24 hours starting on Thursday, when rain washed our an access road, officials said.

By Friday night, emergency workers had constructed a temporary gravel road to get all the people who were stranded by flood waters to exit, according to the West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

I'm in Elkview viewing the flood damage. If you are in need of assistance call 304-342-5855. pic.twitter.com/7E2bsHNgIG — Senator Joe Manchin (@Sen_JoeManchin) June 24, 2016

Homes washed away

Thursday night unfolded like a horrific movie for 26-year-old Chad Agner of White Sulphur Springs, in the southern part of the state.

"The flooding looked like the ocean. There were these big waves," Agner said.

As the rain intensified, Anger, who was planning to grab dinner with a friend, decided to head to his apartment instead, only to find his neighbor submerged in knee-deep water.

"The water was so high," Agner said. He decided against going inside his apartment to retrieve his belongings.

Chad Agner captured photos of the devastating flooding in his area of White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, on Friday. His home was washed away by powerful flood waters overnight.

Agner said he saw the flood sweeping away homes and cars before his eyes.

"The house in front of where my apartment used to be is turned over. Some houses are totally gone," he told CNN. "My apartment is gone."

Chad Agner captured photos of the devastating flooding in his area of White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, on Friday. His home was washed away by powerful flood waters overnight.

Other residents of White Sulphur Springs said the floods launched a home off its foundation and down Howard's Creek.

Helpless witnesses said the house caught fire and was burning as it floated down the stream, which runs through the town.

Golf resort under water

Also in White Sulphur Springs, the storms severely impacted the luxury Greenbrier resort, which is set to host the PGA Tour's Greenbrier Classic in July.

Professional PGA golfer Bubba Watson, who was at the resort when the storms hit, shared a photo and video on his Twitter account showing the grounds covered in fast-moving brown water.

Because of "widespread damage" from the heavy flooding, the resort will be closed until further notice, the Greenbrier announced on Twitter.

Resort owner Jim Justice released a statement saying that their focus is on helping the people, not "the property, the golf course, or anything else."