Recovery efforts begin in Texas Hill Country after floods kill two and rescue hundreds
After days of heavy rain caused widespread flooding in the Texas Hill Country, floodwaters are receding, two deaths have been confirmed and hundreds of residents were rescued.
Rainfall of up to 30 inches fell across South Central Texas over three days, prompting the Guadalupe River and other waterways to swell and flood the Hill Country. By Friday morning the rain had eased and river levels were reported to be 12 to 15 feet lower than the previous day, slowing the flow from filling an Olympic-size pool in two seconds to about 20 seconds, according to meteorologist Josh Johns.
One bridge in Uvalde County collapsed overnight, and officials warned motorists to avoid the area and not bypass barricades. The Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed the FM 481 bridge failure was caused by flooding.
Authorities said two men died: a 65-year-old whose RV was swept away in Kerr County and a 74-year-old whose car was carried off U.S. Highway 83 in Uvalde County. The Uvalde Police Department noted the victim’s family lived out of state and had ignored warnings not to travel the road.
First responders, including Texas Game Wardens, used boats and helicopters to rescue hundreds of people trapped by the rising water. The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country has established a relief fund for nonprofit recovery efforts, and Governor Greg Abbott urged donations to the Rebuild Texas Fund.
Local officials highlighted improvements in early-warning systems since the previous year’s floods, which killed more than 100 people. River Sentry’s automated sirens, activated by water contact, sounded alarms at 130 decibels during the recent event; three towers were knocked down but all six are now operational.
While the Guadalupe River’s level is expected to remain high for some time, officials said continued monitoring is needed as other Hill Country rivers, including the Llano and Pedernales, could still rise.