Flash flooding across Texas has turned deadly, with at least two people losing their lives after days of relentless rainfall that inundated parts of the state.
Gov. Greg Abbott announced Thursday that one man died near Comfort and another near Uvalde as floodwaters swept through Texas Hill Country. He urged Texans to avoid driving or walking into floodwaters and to move to higher ground if conditions become dangerous.
Despite the tragic loss of life, there is some welcome news on the horizon: the rain is finally expected to come to an end.
Floodwaters Trigger Rescues Across the Region
As High Plains Pundit previously reported, torrential rainfall sparked flash flood emergencies across parts of Texas earlier this week. Creeks and rivers rose rapidly, leaving neighborhoods underwater and roads impassable.
The flooding is hitting the same region devastated last year, when catastrophic flooding claimed more than 130 lives, including 25 girls and two counselors at Camp Mystic. While this year's death toll is significantly lower, the latest fatalities mark a second straight year that deadly flooding has struck the Texas Hill Country.
Emergency crews have been working around the clock to rescue stranded residents. According to Abbott, Texas Game Wardens have completed more than 230 water rescues, pulling people from flooded homes, submerged vehicles, and cars swept off roadways.
State resources remain heavily deployed throughout the region.
"There will be help coming very rapidly to whoever may be displaced wherever they are," Abbott said.
Helicopters and drones continue to search flooded areas for anyone who may still be stranded.
More Than Two Feet of Rain Falls in Some Areas
Some parts of Texas have received more than two feet of rainfall since the storms began, with rainfall rates reaching one to three inches per hour at times.
Additional rain continued Thursday night into Friday morning, and seven locations were reporting major flooding. Forecasters expect rivers and creeks across the Hill Country to begin receding Friday as rainfall tapers off.
The final band of rain is expected to move out Friday morning, bringing much-needed relief. Forecasts call for dry conditions throughout the weekend, giving emergency crews and residents an opportunity to begin cleanup and assess the damage left behind.
