Death Toll In Colorado Flood Rises to Eight

The death toll in Colorado rose to eight Tuesday, as the state continues to cope with the aftermath of the worst flooding in decades.

By Monday, the worst of the rain had passed, and the bodies of six victims had been found with two more presumed dead after their homes were swept away. The area was also bracing for additional potential thunderstorms on Tuesday.

The onslaught of rain that caused massive flooding as well as deadly mud and rockslides left 1,500 homes destroyed, and forced more than 11,000 people to evacuate their homes. The National Guard has conducted more than 400 helicopter rescues, the most since Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005.

Luckily, the number of missing people has decreased from a high of over 1,200 to about half that, as more of the unaccounted for have found a way to contact loved ones and rescuers have been able to reach stranded residents. Still, officials say that it could take weeks or even months to find the bodies of others who many have died as fast-moving flood waters, and mud wiped away roads and destroyed structures.

The threat of flash floods remained a concern in at least 15 counties in Colorado.

As the state begins efforts to clean up Boulder and other mountainous areas impacted by the floods, many fear that the disaster will continue to dampen tourism in the state well after the rains clear out. After all, the state's tourism industry was just getting back on its feet after last year's wildfires.