At least two people died after severe flash flooding hit parts of the Texas Hill Country along the Guadalupe and Pedernales rivers. The National Weather Service issued multiple flash flood emergencies, a designation reserved for life-threatening situations expected to cause catastrophic damage.
Governor Greg Abbott confirmed that one man died near Comfort after being swept away in an RV, while another man died after being swept away while driving north of Uvalde. More than 2,000 emergency responders worked across the impacted areas, conducting more than 230 rescues.
Heavy rainfall caused significant flooding throughout the region. Preliminary measurements showed over 19 inches of rain in Kerrville and more than 21 inches in Uvalde, with Knippa recording more than 26 inches. In Gillespie County, areas received between 15 and 20 inches of rain early Thursday morning.
The Pedernales River near Fredericksburg rose to 34 feet, the highest flood stage since June 1979. The river's banks jumped from 9 feet to 33 feet in a five-hour period on Thursday. In Kendall County, officials reported nearly 200,000 cubic feet of water per second flowing through the Guadalupe River.
In Kerrville, more than 20 inches of rain fell over two days, causing Town Creek, Quinlan Creek, and Dietert Creek to overflow. The city issued a shelter-in-place order and urged residents to avoid low-water crossings. A water line break on the Arcadia Loop bridge also led to requests for water conservation.
Emergency responses included more than 30 rescues near Fredericksburg, where crews moved people from an RV park to higher ground as floodwaters surged. The Austin Fire Department also deployed a swift boat team and helicopter search and rescue members to assist Kerrville.
Disaster declarations were issued by Gillespie County Judge Daniel Jones and Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly. Additionally, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller declared an agricultural emergency to activate resources for producers facing losses to farms and ranches.
Evacuation centers were established at Calvary Temple Church in Kerrville and City West Church in Ingram. While many residents faced property damage, officials noted that timely warnings helped prevent further loss of life.
The Lower Colorado River Authority began opening floodgates at Wirtz Dam and Starcke Dam to manage rising water levels, warning that high flow conditions would continue downstream toward Lake Travis.
