First responders in Texas carried out rescue operations to save individuals trapped in swiftly rising floodwaters in the southern part of the state on Friday following several days of relentless heavy rainfall that resulted in the deaths of two individuals. Water rescues were actively ongoing in multiple areas to the west of San Antonio, including Sutton, Crockett, and Zavala counties, as confirmed by authorities. Floodwaters overflowed onto Interstate 10 in a rural vicinity near Ozona, and a portion of a bridge over the Nueces River in Uvalde County collapsed, according to officials.
Since the onset of the storms on Tuesday, emergency personnel utilizing boats and helicopters successfully rescued over 200 individuals, comprising stranded motorists and individuals trapped in residences, as stated by Governor Greg Abbott. The U.S. National Weather Service issued a flash flood emergency early in the morning for Sonora city in Sutton County, situated 274 kilometers northwest of San Antonio.
Local law enforcement utilized a boat to rescue an individual, and local officials were advising residents residing in low-lying areas along the Dry Devils River to evacuate due to heavy rainfall, although the evacuation request was not mandatory, stated Chief Deputy Jon Gann. Officials in Crockett County reported ongoing boat rescues near Ozona, approximately 320 kilometers northwest of San Antonio, with numerous roads submerged and impassable. In Zavala County, about 290 kilometers south near the Mexican border, emergency responders were conducting rescues from floodwaters and urging residents to steer clear of the area. The Texas Department of Transportation mentioned that high waters prompted the closure of an 80-kilometer stretch of U.S. Highway 57 from La Pryor to its intersection with Interstate 35 southwest of San Antonio, with some sections expected to remain closed until Monday.
Flash flood warnings were issued for various other counties in the Texas Hill Country, which is still recovering from severe floods a year ago. Flood alerts were in effect throughout the weekend in numerous downstream locations from the severely impacted areas, with some rivers poised to reach historic water levels. Certain areas experienced rainfall exceeding 60 centimeters this week.
The storms and ensuing floods posed threats to multiple counties near the Mexico border and in the Hill Country close to San Antonio, with roughly six million Texas residents under flood watch this week. Tragically, one individual lost their life while driving on a flooded road near Uvalde, being swept away by the waters. Another victim, identified as 65-year-old John Mark Steward from Kerrville, passed away after his mobile home was carried away into Goat Creek on the Guadalupe River, as confirmed by his wife. The Guadalupe River, previously affected by flash floods last year resulting in fatalities at Camp Mystic, faced similar challenges this year.
The slow-moving severe weather system was forecasted to gradually move in a northwesterly direction on Friday, eventually reaching the Texas Big Bend in the western region of the state, as per the weather service. In Uvalde, one of the areas hardest hit by flooding, water levels were subsiding, and officials announced the reopening of Route 90, a major highway. Despite cleanup efforts, police in the Chalk Bluff area issued evacuation advisories due to rising waters. The city had been engulfed by floodwaters overnight into Thursday, isolating it from external access routes.
Sandra Gomez, a resident of Uvalde, inspected the damage at her home on Friday after evacuating before the flooding. She disclosed that around six inches of water had seeped into her residence, leaving mud throughout the house. While Gomez considered herself fortunate, she expressed empathy for acquaintances whose homes were submerged under five to six feet of water.
The unfolding crisis evoked painful memories of the catastrophic floods in the Hill Country last summer that claimed the lives of over 100 individuals during the July 4th holiday. Despite the adversity, the Guadalupe River has thus far stayed below the record levels recorded in 2025. Near Hunt, close to Camp Mystic which remains closed following last year’s tragedy, the Guadalupe River reached approximately 6.3 meters, a level sufficient to induce flooding according to data from the U.S. Geological Survey and National Water Prediction Service.