(CNN) David Ross said his family moved valuables upstairs when the floodwaters started coming through the floor grates in his house.

"We ran out of time," Ross told CNN on Saturday. "We couldn't get everything up, and when the water started coming into the house, it didn't stop until we had almost four feet of water on my main floor, and it's never been that way."

Ross said the flooding was the worst he's seen in his 39 years in West Virginia.

"It was so fast," he said. "The rain was relentless."

Rescue crews worked steadily on Saturday to answer emergency calls from residents stranded by fast-moving floodwaters that state officials say have killed at least 24 people. It's the nation's highest death toll from flash floods since May 2010, when 27 people died in Tennessee, Kentucky and Mississippi.

Heavy rain battered much of West Virginia earlier this week, with as much as 10 inches of rain falling in a brief period Thursday. Water poured out of creeks and rivers, prompting scores of rescue calls.

The high waters were receding Saturday, but officials, such as those in Kanawha County, are warning people to watch out for "flood debris, downed power lines and downed trees." CNN meteorologists said no more rain is expected until Monday.

Along with responding to rescue emergencies, Kanawha County Sheriff's Office spokesman Brian Humphreys said deputies were going to pharmacies to get medications for people affected by the flooding.

As of 0900 am there are still 32,170 homes and businesses without power in WV. — WV DHSEM (@WVDHSEM) June 25, 2016

President Obama called Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin on Saturday to express sympathy and promise aid. Obama declared West Virginia a disaster area and made expanded funding available for three hard-hit counties: Kanawha, Greenbrier and Nicholas.

Tomblin already activated 200 National Guard members to assist in eight counties and has authorization to activate as many as 300 more, if needed.

The governor declared states of emergency in 44 counties Thursday night. Eleven remaining counties, located in the northern and eastern panhandles, were excluded from the emergency declaration. The communities of Elkview, Clendenin and Frame, located in Kanawha County, were particularly hard hit.

The West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) reported 23 deaths, including 15 in Greenbrier County; six in Kanawha County, which includes the capital, Charleston; and one each in Jackson and Ohio counties.

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 and infrastructure across the state have been severely damaged or washed away. High terrain along rivers speeded the rapid floodwaters. As of 6:30 a.m., there were 158 emergency rescue calls in Kanawha County, located in the southwestern part of the state, the sheriff's office said.

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 out an access road, officials said. More than 32,000 customers are without power, the DHSEM said.

Friday night, emergency workers finished building a temporary gravel road to allow all those stranded to exit, according to the West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

Chad Agner, 26, said he saw homes and cars swept away in White Sulphur Springs in the southeastern part of the state.

Chad Agner captured photos of the devastating flooding in White Sulphur Springs on Friday.

Others saw a home that burned as it floated down Howard's Creek, having been washed away by floodwaters in the same Greenbrier County town.

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

A 1,000-year flood

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.

Cars submerged in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia

In Kanawha County, 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

Resort under water

Also in White Sulphur Springs, the storms severely impacted The Greenbrier, a luxury resort that was scheduled to host the PGA Tour's Greenbrier Classic July 7-10.

The PGA announced Saturday that the tournament is canceled because the course was badly damaged.

"We are heartbroken by the devastation the residents of West Virginia are experiencing at this time and the reports of lives lost due to the terrible flooding," said PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem.

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.

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.

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."