South Texas Storms Bring Heavy Rain and Temporary Highway Closures; No Deaths Reported

Heavy downpours struck South Texas on Tuesday, washing out highways and stranding motorists in several counties west of San Antonio, though no deaths or injuries were reported. Storms produced up to a foot of rain in some rural areas. At least two dozen water rescues occurred in Uvalde County.

Officials closed portions of a busy highway near Uvalde for several hours. Five people were rescued by the Texas Game Warden Search and Rescue Team and four by a local game warden, said Maggie Berger, a spokesperson for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

The National Weather Service warned that storms overnight could dump more than a foot of additional rain into Wednesday, creating a dangerous flash flooding threat through Thursday.

“Intense rain rates and compounding effects from multiple rounds of storms will result in a dangerous flash flooding threat through Thursday,” the agency said. A flood watch also covered Kerr County. Texas Gov.

Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for dozens of counties. In Uvalde, officials opened a local event center for anyone displaced by flooding. Officials in Sabinal were making plans for a shelter.

No deaths or injuries were immediately reported from Tuesday’s storms.