Central Texas is once again underwater. Just one year after more than 130 people died in one of the deadliest flash floods in American history, the same rivers have exploded out of their banks — and this time, the warning came in the middle of the night.
Two people have died and more than 230 rescues have been completed as of Thursday afternoon. One victim was a man near Comfort, Texas, swept away inside an RV. The other was a 74-year-old man in Uvalde who was carried off while driving.
The numbers behind this flood are staggering. The Guadalupe River gauge rose 32 feet in just four hours overnight. At one point, water levels at Comfort surged 16 feet in only 30 minutes — the kind of rise that gives people almost no time to react. The Pedernales River hit major flood stage by 8 AM, and residents near Pedernales were told to seek higher ground immediately
Texas Game Wardens rescued close to 150 people by the afternoon. Video released by authorities showed crews hoisting children from a house surrounded by water into a helicopter. In total, more than 85 boats, 20 aircraft, and 200 high-profile vehicles have been deployed for rescue operations.
Six flash flood emergencies have been issued across the region. Rainfall totals hit 28.15 inches in some areas. Multiple tornado warnings have also been issued, including a radar-confirmed tornado spotted southwest of Uvalde around 2 AM Thursday.
The flood wave barreled down the same Guadalupe River that runs alongside Camp Mystic, where two dozen children and counselors were killed just last July.
The hardest-hit areas are expecting more rain into Friday and are not yet out of danger, with some rivers forecast to reach historic levels. Flood watches remain in effect for Central Texas through Friday morning.
Residents are urged to stay off roads, avoid low-water crossings, and follow all evacuation orders immediately.
