Barely a year after catastrophic floods tore through the Texas Hill Country and killed more than 100 people, the region is living through the nightmare all over again. At least one person has died, and rescuers have pulled well over 70 others to safety as relentless rain unleashed devastating flooding across multiple counties Thursday, according to the Associated Press.
Gov. Greg Abbott confirmed the single death while stressing that saving lives remained the top priority, noting that more than 1,300 personnel had been deployed to the response. In a small mercy, he indicated that many of the summer camps hit hardest last year did not appear to be in immediate danger this time.
Still, the National Weather Service issued dire warnings as a “large and deadly flood wave” barreled down the Guadalupe River, the same waterway where two dozen children and counselors died at Camp Mystic last summer. Forecasters urged residents to “Move to higher ground now!” as rivers swelled by the hour.
The speed of the water was staggering. As reported by the AP, one gauge outside Kerrville showed the Guadalupe rose 32 feet in just four hours, with waters expected to crest near last year’s deadly highs.
In Uvalde, the normally dry Leona River overran the city overnight, sealing off outside access entirely. “There’s no way into the city at this point,” Uvalde police spokesperson Juli Alvarado said, as officers deployed rescue boats to reach people trapped in vehicles.
For those who lived through last year’s tragedy, the parallels were haunting, though many credited improved warning systems for making a difference this time. “It’s crazy happening two times in one year,” said Josiah Rodriguez, who woke to heavy rain around 2 a.m. in Kerrville.
He recalled that last year’s flood “just kind of happened overnight and took everyone by surprise,” but noted far more alerts and safety measures were in place now.
The timing couldn’t be crueler for communities still rebuilding. Ingram Mayor Claud Jordan told the AP that businesses shuttered by the July 4 floods have yet to reopen, and this latest deluge only deepens the setback. “This doesn’t help,” he said. With 10 to 20 inches of rain falling in just two days and flood watches stretching into Friday, the region braces for more.
