Flash Floods Devastate Texas Again, One Confirmed Dead

At least one person has died as flash floods once again ravage Central Texas, the same region devastated by a similar disaster last summer that claimed more than 130 lives. The National Weather Service (NWS) in San Antonio reported that ‘major and deadly’ flooding from the Guadalupe River was expected to cause significant damage after days of torrential rain. Emergency officials have been urging residents along the river to evacuate since Thursday morning. Governor Greg Abbott confirmed the fatality in an update on Thursday afternoon. ‘We will do everything possible to save human lives,’ Abbott said in a social media post. He added that emergency services had successfully carried out around 80 rescues and confirmed the deceased was not a camper in the area. According to Abbott, the rapidly rising water levels were expected to continue surging throughout the day. The NWS issued urgent updates, describing the flooding as ‘catastrophic’ and instructing residents to seek higher ground immediately. Reports from the Texas Tribune indicated that the Guadalupe River rose by as much as 32 feet in just four hours, impacting several counties in South Texas, including Uvalde, Kerr, and Kendall. Footage from the scene showed vehicles submerged in brown water up to their windows, while rescue workers were seen carrying small children out of the floodwaters to safety. Carter Lopez, a 30-year-old resident of Boerne, Texas, recounted helping a neighbour escape from a ground-floor apartment flooded with four inches of water. He noted that last year’s flooding was not as severe for his area. The event has reignited trauma for local residents, as the same region suffered a devastating flash flood in July last year that killed over 130 people, including 25 children and two counsellors at Camp Mystic, a girls’ camp near Kerrville. During that Fourth of July holiday, the Guadalupe River rose 26 feet in just 45 minutes, sweeping away dozens of campers. The camp subsequently ceased operations and filed for bankruptcy earlier this year.