Bodies Of Four More Drowned Soldiers Located At Fort Hood Brings Death Toll To Nine: VIDEO [UPDATE]

FORT HOOD, TX -- The bodies of four missing soldiers swept up by flood waters were found Friday, bringing to nine the number drowned after their jeep was swept downstream in raging flood waters this week.

The bodies of five Fort Hood soldiers were recovered Thursday. Emergency officials proceeded to search for the remaining missing soldiers, and officials disclosed finding four more bodies on Friday. The missing sodiers are from the 3rd Battallion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, according to a Fort Hood official statement.

The body count is now nine.

"Two more soldiers were found and confirmed deceased at Fort Hood after their military vehicle overturned on Fort Hood June 2," Fort Hood officials announced Thursday evening. "This brings the total deceased to five soldiers."

The search continued late into the night for the remaining four missing soldiers, officials added.

"Fort Hood emergency officials continue to conduct rescue operations for an overturned Light Medium Tactical Vehicle at the Owl Creek Tactical low-water crossing and East Range Road," Fort Hood officials said in a prepared statement. "Three confirmed deceased Soldiers were recovered from the water downstream from the vehicle."

Another three soldiers previously were rescued from high waters earlier, and hospitalized before being released.

"Three Soldiers were rescued from the water near the vehicle and are in stable condition being transported from Coryell Memorial Healthcare System, Gatesville, Texas, to Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center here," Fort Hood officials said before the three were allowed to go home.

Officials had secured assistance from other emergency agencies to aid them in finding personnel. The soldiers reportedly were closing off streets to protect others from heavy rainfall when their vehicle was swept away by raging flood waters.

"Multiple resources from the Fort Hood Directorate of Emergency Services, local and state agencies have been deployed to assist with the rescue and recovery of personnel and property," officials said. "Emergency operations include aircraft, canine search teams, heavy-ground equipment, swift-water rescue watercraft and search personnel."

Fort Hood officials said they would not identify the deceased until after family members had been notified of their deaths.

"Names of the deceased will not be released until 24 hours after all next of kin have been notified," Fort Hood officials said. "More information will be released when it becomes available."

Maj. Gen. John C. Thomson III, 1st Cavalry Division Commanding General, issued a statement expressing the grief being felt over the tragedy by the entire Fort Hood community.

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of several troopers and continue search operations," Thomson said in a prepared statement. "Your thoughts and prayers are greatly appreciated during this difficult time as we care for the families, loved ones, and fellow soldiers of those impacted by this tragedy. God Bless the First Team."

Gov. Greg Abbott also issued a statement expressing his condolences and pledging to make the resources of his offices available if needed.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the soldiers, their families and the Fort Hood community, and continue to be with those still unaccounted for," Abbott said in a prepared statement. "Texas stands ready to provide any assistance to Fort Hood as they deal with this tragedy."

Just hours before the three soldiers were found dead, Fort Hood officials sent out urgent notifications to the public to avoid ;ow-water crossings. The fort's home city, Killeen, was hit hard by relentless rainfall that has hammered Central Texas for the past several weeks.

"Fort Hood officials have closed Georgetown and East Range roads due to high water crossing the road," Fort Hood officials wrote on Twitter. "Hazardous conditions are expected to rise as rain continues throughout the day. All traffic has been diverted to Farm and Market Road 116. Fort Hood residents should stay out of areas subject to flooding."

In their social media missive, Fort Hood officials described the dangers on the roads during flooding.

"Dips, low spots, canyons, washes, etc., can become filled with water quickly," they wrote. "If you come upon a flowing stream where water is above your ankles, stop, turn around, and go another way. Do not attempt to cross flowing water with your vehicle. Turn around…Don’t drown."

Fort Hood is no stranger to tragedy, having been visited by death on a large scale in the past few years.

This is the military installation where Nidal Hasan, a U.S. Army major and psychiatrist, fatally shot 13 and injured 30 more in November 2009. Just five years later in April 2014, a shooter killed three people on various base locations and injured 14 others. The shooter, identified as 34-year-old Army Specialist Ivan Lopez, later died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The military post is located between Austin and Waco, about 60 miles equidistant from each of those cities. Its origins dates to World War II, when the expansive base was used to test and train tank destroyers.

Fort Hood is the most populous military installation in the world. According to the Fort Hood website, there are more than 45,000 assigned soldiers and 8,900 civilian employees assigned to the base, which is spread across 200,000-plus acres.

>>> Maj. Gen. John Uberti, deputy commanding general III Corps and Fort Hood, speaks to media members outside the Marvin Leath Visitors Center at 8 a.m. June 3 at Fort Hood, Texas. Photo courtesy of Fort Hood.