Texas Flooding Leaves One Dead, Hundreds Evacuated in Repeat of 2023 Disaster
At least one person has died in flooding across central Texas, an area that experienced devastating flash floods last summer, according to officials. The Guadalupe River, which overflowed in the previous floods, is again expected to cause 'large and deadly' flooding following days of heavy rain, the National Weather Service (NWS) in San Antonio reported.
Early Thursday morning, emergency officials urged residents to evacuate as water levels rose rapidly. In a social media update, Texas Governor Greg Abbott confirmed the single fatality and said that about 80 rescues had been carried out. He added that the person who died was not a camper, referring to the 2023 floods that killed 130 people, including 25 children and two counsellors at an all-girls camp near Kerrville.
'We will be doing everything possible to save human life,' Abbott said. He warned that 'rapidly rising rivers' would continue to surge throughout the day.
The NWS issued urgent alerts, stating: 'Catastrophic flooding is occurring. Move to higher ground now! Guadalupe River is rapidly rising and will continue!' According to the Texas Tribune, the river rose 32 feet (975 cm) in just four hours.
The flooding has affected several counties in South Texas, including Uvalde, Kerr, and Kendall. Videos from the area showed cars slowly driving through flooded roads with water reaching their windows, and deer struggling to keep their heads above water. Rescuers were seen carrying small children through waist-deep water to safety.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation and conduct rescue operations as the threat persists.
