Two fatalities reported as heavy rains trigger severe flooding in Texas Hill Country

Heavy rain over the past few days has dumped up to two feet of water in parts of the Texas Hill Country, prompting rivers such as the Guadalupe, Nueces and Frio to surge to near or above historic levels. The National Weather Service warned that additional rain is likely on July 17 as a slow-moving weather system remains in the area.

Governor Greg Abbott said the Nueces River near Uvalde reached a preliminary crest of 28.01 feet on July 16, surpassing the previous record set in 1996, and could flow at twice the volume of Niagara Falls. Flood watches cover 59 counties, and officials have urged residents to avoid driving through water-covered roads.

At least two people have been confirmed dead: a man near Comfort was swept away while in an RV, and a woman in Uvalde was carried off while driving. The governor did not release further details about the victims.

State authorities reported more than 230 water rescues since the flooding began, with about 2,350 emergency responders and roughly 1,400 vehicles, including helicopters and rescue boats, deployed. Texas Game Wardens shared footage of rescuers extracting a child from floodwaters and of a helicopter rescue operation.

The flooding follows a deadly event in July 2025 that claimed over 130 lives in the same region. Abbott noted that flood-warning systems installed after that disaster were activated this time, helping to reduce the impact.