At least 1 person has died as Texas flooding forces evacuations and rescues, governor says

UVALDE, Texas (AP) — Rescuers in boats and helicopters saved dozens of stranded drivers and people trapped in homes from catastrophic flooding that hit parts of Texas overnight while many more fled to higher ground Thursday in a region still reeling from devastating floods a year ago.

At least one person has died, Gov. Greg Abbott said, adding that it appeared many of the summer camps hit hard last year were not in danger. “Our number one focus is saving lives,” he said.

After days of pounding rain, the National Weather Service said a “large and deadly flood wave” barreled down the same river wrecked by flash floods last summer when two dozen children and counselors were killed at Camp Mystic.

Forecasters urgently warned “Move to higher ground now!” as rivers rose hour by hour under the cloak of darkness, turning them into fast-moving seas of white water. Some spots of the Guadalupe River rose by more than 30 feet (9 meters).

The governor said there was “one loss of life” and that crews had rescued well over 70 people. Kerr County reported one dead.

Hill Country residents say they were better prepared for floods

The unfolding crisis brought back haunting memories of last summer's unimaginable Hill Country floods that killed more than 100 people over the July Fourth holiday.

“It’s crazy happening two times in one year,” said Josiah Rodriguez, who woke to the sound of heavy rain around 2 a.m. Thursday in Kerrville. He navigated flooded roads to help evacuate relatives.

“Last year there was no warning of it,” he said. “It just kind of happened overnight and it took everyone by surprise. This year, a lot more alerts have gone into place, a lot more safety measures.”

Residents said they were caught off guard a year ago and didn’t receive any warning when floods overtopped the Guadalupe. Some local leaders were criticized for not acting quickly.

The storms and flooding this time threatened multiple counties close to the Mexico border and in the Hill Country near San Antonio. As of late Wednesday, six million residents across Texas were under a flood watch, and some were expected to remain in effect through Friday evening.

Several agencies sent rescue helicopters to the flood zone, including Travis County in the state capital of Austin.

“My understanding is people were mostly trapped in trees and on rooftops,” said Travis County Judge Andy Brown, who said one caller warned 10 people were trapped on a barn roof.

Residents rush animals and campers to higher ground

At a wild animal rescue, Katie Buck evacuated several dozen animals to higher ground in the dark early Thursday as the normally dry Lazy Creek overflowed. She had to quickly grab a porcupine despite having no gloves.

She was able to get all of the animals to safety, but flooding destroyed several enclosures at the Buck Wild Animal Rescue and Wildlife Rehab near Ingram, which also was hit hard 12 months ago.

“We were just starting to get back on our feet again,” Buck said. “To have to go through this again is just devastating.”

Residents at an RV park in Comfort moved their trailers as sirens sounded, said manager Duke Earwood.

Water rose over the hoods of vehicles parked near the river at the Comfort RV Resort, which has about 200 residents. Markers showed the flooding already matched last July's big flood.

“Too familiar for sure, and too soon,” Earwood said.

Uvalde residents isolated by floodwaters

Floodwaters overran the city of Uvalde overnight, cutting off outside access. The Leona River, normally dry most of the year, filled streets with water.

“People really can’t get anywhere” said Carmen Rodriguez, who nervously watched water engulf her neighborhood Thursday morning as a helicopter roared overhead. “We have a place to go, but all the streets are closed.”

Phones buzzed with warnings all night warning of flash floods in the morning. Rodriguez said authorities seemed to be well prepared, ordering mandatory evacuations and notifying people directly.

Uvalde officials found people trapped in vehicles overnight, said Juli Alvarado, a spokesperson for the police.

Texas Game Wardens rescued more than 40 people, mostly in the Uvalde County area, according to a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department spokesperson.

Flooding could reach last year's deadly high

While heavily swollen from rainfall, so far the Guadalupe largely remained below the record levels reached during last year’s deadly floods.

Gauges showed it rose by more than 30 feet (9 meters) in some spots in just hours overnight. One near Kerrville showed the river rose 32 feet (9.7 meters) in four hours.

Close to Camp Mystic, which remains shut, the Guadalupe River near Hunt reached about 20.5 feet (6.3 meters), which is enough to cause flooding, but still far below record levels set last year’s, according to U.S. Geological Survey and National Water Prediction Service data.

In Kerr County, where summer camps dot the shores of the Guadalupe, the sheriff’s office said all campers were safe. Several camps said their campers were staying inside, with one camp reporting normal flooding.

Towns still rebuilding are hit by new floods

Volunteer firefighters spent the night evacuating homes and answering frantic calls in Ingram, just up river from Hunt, said Ingram Mayor Claud Jordan.

While the water didn’t rise as high as a year ago, he believes this round of flooding was more widespread in his city. “The rural part of Ingram, all the roads are just trashed,” he said.

“There are a bunch of businesses that haven’t reopened from last year,” Jordan said. “This doesn’t help.”

The Texas Hill Country is especially prone to flash floods because the area’s signature limestone is covered by just a thin layer of soil. During heavy rains, water can quickly shoot downhill before quickly filling the narrow river basins.

The weather service said 10 to 20 inches of rain (25 to 50 centimeters) had fallen in the past two days, with 8 inches (20 centimeters) in just two hours early Thursday.

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