Two Die in Southern Texas Flooding; Over 230 Rescues Conducted

Two people have died in flooding across southern Texas, where more than 230 rescues have taken place, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Thursday. Officials have sent more than 2,350 emergency responders, 85 boats, 21 aircraft and over 200 high-water vehicles to the area, while FEMA has deployed five search-and-rescue teams.

Mark Steward, 65, died after floodwaters carried his mobile home away in Kerrville. A 74-year-old man died near Uvalde when his vehicle was swept into floodwaters about four miles north of the city around 10:30 a.m. local time, police said.

More than 80 people were evacuated from riverside campgrounds. A group of 42 relatives fled a hotel in Comfort on Thursday morning. All children’s summer camps in Kerr County reported their campers safe.

The Guadalupe River crested at 37.94 feet in Center Point. A gauge in Comfort recorded a 25-foot rise in one hour. Some areas have received more than 20 inches of rain since Monday, with Uvalde reporting nearly 22 inches and isolated spots seeing rainfall rates of 3 inches per hour.

First responders cleared about 50 homes in flood-prone parts of Kerrville. Warning systems installed since July 2025 floods helped residents evacuate in time, said Ian Cunningham, founder and CEO of River Sentry, which has placed 105 flood-warning towers along the Guadalupe River. "You could make the argument that these were critical in intervening and saving lives," Cunningham said.

Kerrville Police Chief Jerel Haley said the community is still recovering from last year’s floods that killed 137 people. "We are still reeling from what happened a year ago," Haley said. The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for hard-hit parts of south-central Texas until noon Friday.