Severe Flooding Hits Texas

Uvalde, Texas — Following days of heavy rainfall, Texas is facing increasingly dangerous flooding. Emergency crews were actively rescuing individuals trapped by rising waters before dawn on Thursday. Those in the area received urgent warnings from forecasters to “move to higher ground now!”

The National Weather Service in San Antonio reported that “large and deadly flood waves” were inundating the same river that tragically took the lives of 20 children and counselors at Camp Mystic last year.

As of now, there have been no reported fatalities or injuries linked to the flooding, although several tornado warnings have been issued.

The storm is affecting numerous counties in the vicinity of the Mexican border and the Texas Hill Country close to San Antonio.

Officials in Kerrville recommended that residents seek safety on the upper floors of their homes.

Uvalde experienced significant flooding overnight, isolating the city from surrounding regions.

Juli Alvarado, a Uvalde Police Department spokesperson, stated, “There is no access into the city at this time. Rescue efforts are actively taking place throughout the night.” She mentioned that several individuals trapped in vehicles were being rescued. “Luckily, they were able to maintain contact with our emergency command center, allowing us to respond quickly,” she added.

Rescue boats have been deployed, and plans for helicopter support were in the works for daylight hours.

According to a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department representative, Texas game wardens have rescued over 40 individuals from floodwaters, predominantly in Uvalde County.

New Flooding Challenges in the Texas Hill Country

The Japan Meteorological Agency reported that 10 to 20 inches (25 to 50 centimeters) of rain fell in just two days, with 8 inches (20 centimeters) accumulating in a mere two hours early Thursday.

Forecasters cautioned that conditions could worsen in particularly affected areas.

Some regions received nearly a foot of rainfall, placing multiple counties under flood watches, including parts of the Texas Hill Country, where tragic flooding last summer resulted in over 100 deaths.

Flood watches are anticipated to extend into Friday night.

Risk of Floods Comparable to Last Year’s Disasters

The Bureau of Meteorology warns that flooding levels could reach similar heights as the catastrophic river floods that occurred on July 4, 2025.

Near Hunt, close to Camp Mystic, water levels in the Guadalupe River have risen to about 20.5 feet (6.3 meters), just shy of the threshold that would overwhelm structures and roads, according to U.S. Geological Survey data.

While dangerous, these levels remain below the 37.5 feet (11.4 meters) recorded during last year’s fatal floods, which is about 15 feet (4.5 meters) over the baseline for significant flooding.

A monitoring gauge less than 10 miles (16 kilometers) from Kerrville indicated that the river level surged 32 feet (9.7 meters) within a four-hour span.

In Center Point, water levels climbed over 30 feet between midnight and 4 a.m. Thursday.

A similar spike was noted near Comfort, where gauges recorded a nearly 80-meter rise in the river in under two hours, based on USGS findings.

Families Seeking Safety

By Wednesday, police in Uvalde ordered mandatory evacuations for specific areas, with first responders directly informing residents of their status, as shared on the department’s Facebook page. Others were advised to stay alert for possible further evacuations.

Residents watching the encroaching waters looked visibly concerned, stepping out of their homes to gauge the situation.

Those near the Leona River hurriedly packed their vehicles, uncertain of where to go next. One man even tossed two kayaks into his truck as a precaution.

As lightning flashed and the sky grew darker, the otherwise calm river transformed into a churning torrent, flooding neighborhoods and overtaking high bridges.

Texas Flood Watch Encompasses Millions

Governor Greg Abbott declared a disaster in several counties.

As of Wednesday evening, over 6 million people across 57 Texas counties were under a National Weather Service flood watch, which was set to expire early Thursday evening. For 34 of those counties, the watch was expected to last until Friday night.

Among the areas seeing the heaviest rainfall so far is Uvalde County, which typically averages about 23 inches (58 centimeters) over the course of a year.