An elderly couple have lost “everything” after a raging river ripped through their home and swept it away.
Tom and Carrie Bashaw watched helplessly as the foundations of their house were torn apart by fast-rising water before the entire property disappeared into the river.
In just 24 hours the couple’s dream home was destroyed when violent storms turned a quiet stream behind their property into a raging torrent.
Shocking footage showing the home collapsing into the river has since gone viral online, racking up more than 2.2 million views and over 8,000 likes, as reported by Need To Know.
Their daughter Stephanie Ichinose revealed the devastating moment her parents realised their home could not be saved.
“My mom Carrie and her husband Tom experienced something no family ever expects to face,” she said.
“The rushing water had eroded the land and felled all the trees right up to their lanai.
“They evacuated, taking their most precious items and their cats.
“By morning, the floodwaters had swelled so severely that it undercut their property and half of their home had collapsed and was washed away.
“By the end of the day, the rest of the home and the garage were lost as well.”
The destruction was caused by recent storms that have battered Maui, Hawaii.
Tom and Carrie, both 80, were left without their home – the property they had designed and built themselves – on Sunday (15 March).
To make matters worse, the house was outside the designated flood zones, meaning the couple did not have flood insurance.
They are now sleeping on air mattresses inside a storage container with their cats while they try to work out what to do next.
Stephanie said: “Losing so much so suddenly has been overwhelming and they are doing their best to get through this incredibly difficult time with support from their caring neighbours and community.”
She has since set up a GoFundMe page to help her parents rebuild their lives, which has already raised more than $60,000.
Stephanie added: “We are asking for any support you may be able to give to help them begin the long process of recovery.
“Donations will go toward immediate needs such as safe temporary housing, replacing essential belongings, debris removal, and beginning the process of rebuilding their lives.”
READ MORE: Mass flooding forces Aussies to brave roads swallowed by water
