Catastrophic flooding paralyzes Texas Hill Country, killing at least 2 as rain continues

Heavy rain is expected to continue across south-central Texas into Friday, with another 2 to 5 inches of rainfall expected.

KERRVILLE, Texas - Slow-moving storms have unleashed catastrophic flooding across parts of the Texas Hill Country, killing at least two people, devastating communities and leaving widespread damage in its path.

Heavy rain is expected to continue across south-central Texas into Friday, with another 2 to 5 inches of rainfall expected.

Some locations have already received more than 2 feet of rain, leaving rivers swollen and the ground saturated.

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Authorities remain on high alert for additional catastrophic flooding, particularly in areas that have already been hit the hardest.

A Level 2 out of 4 flash flood risk remains in effect across portions of south-central Texas through Friday. But the storm will begin to move west past the worst impacted areas.

Flood threat began Monday as storms stalled over Texas

The flooding began Monday as slow-moving storms combined with abundant Gulf moisture, caused days of torrential rainfall.

Parts of South-central Texas have been inundated by heavy rain since Monday night, with more than 2.5 million people remaining in the path of additional rounds of torrential rainfall through Friday.

The dangerous conditions prompted Gov. Greg Abbott to declare a state of emergency for 59 counties.

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Abbott said Black Hawk helicopters and additional rescue teams were deployed Tuesday, while the Texas National Guard and other state resources were activated ahead of the storms.

The National Weather Service (NWS) also warned of several large and deadly flood waves moving down the Guadalupe and Pedernales rivers as flooding expanded into the Nueces and Frio River basins through Thursday morning.

Flood emergency escalates as historic rainfall triggers life-threatening conditions

The storm intensified during the early morning hours Thursday, when the NWS issued a series of warnings before dawn about "large and deadly flood waves" moving down major rivers across the region, including the Guadalupe River.

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The NOAA Weather Prediction Center upgraded parts of the Texas Hill Country to a Level 4 out of 4 flash flood risk on Thursday, with a broader Level 3 risk covering much of the surrounding region.

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Floodwaters renders road impassable outside Camp Wood, Texas on July 15, 2026. (FOX Weather Senior Correspondent Robert Ray)

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Severe storm damage around The Rim shopping mall in northwest San Antonio on Wednesday, July 15, 2026. (FOX Weather Correspondent Brandy Campbell)

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Floodwaters renders road impassable outside Camp Wood, Texas on July 15, 2026. (FOX Weather Senior Correspondent Robert Ray)

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Floodwaters inundate Uvalde, Texas, on Thursday, July 16, 2026. (FOX Weather)

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Flood damage at Arcadia Bridge in Kerrville, Texas, on July 16, 2026. (FOX 7 Austin)

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Floodwaters inundate Uvalde, Texas, on Thursday, July 16, 2026. (FOX Weather)

Multiple Flash Flood Emergencies were issued across numerous counties during the pre-dawn hours Thursday.

According to the FOX Forecast Center, at least five Flash Flood Emergencies were issued Thursday.

Officials urged residents in low-lying areas and communities under Flash Flood Emergencies to evacuate immediately or seek higher ground, while warning everyone else to stay off the roads.

The Guadalupe River surged more than 34 feet in less than two hours, reaching major flood state Thursday morning before beginning to recede later in the afternoon as rainfall gradually eased.

Flooding leads to rescues, widespread destruction and deaths

As floodwaters rapidly spread Thursday morning, communities across south-central Texas were left with widespread destruction and dozens of emergency rescues.

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Gov. Greg Abbott confirmed that a woman died near Uvalde after she was swept away by floodwaters while driving.

In Kerr County, the sheriff's office confirmed at least one person died in flooding near Center Point on Thursday afternoon. The victim's identity has not been released.

Floodwaters also damaged critical infrastructure. The Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) said a barge struck the Sidney Baker Bridge in Kerr County during the flooding.

As of Thursday afternoon, TXDOT reported at least 125 roadways across Central Texas had been impacted by flooding, with at least 87 roads closed because of floodwaters, damage or debris.

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Rescue crews carried out numerous high-water rescues throughout the day.

FOX 7 Austin reported that the Comfort RV Resort was evacuated, while 10 people were rescued by helicopter from the roof of a barn near Kerrville.

Farther southwest, police in Uvalde said they had conducted at least 25 water rescues since Tuesday.

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FOX Weather Senior Correspondent Robert Ray reported that portions of Uvalde were cut off from the rest of the city Thursday as the Taylor Slough overtopped its banks.

According to the FOX Forecast Center, more than 20 inches of rain has fallen in Uvalde over the past three days, where police were seen going door-to-door Wednesday morning evacuating neighborhoods threatened by rapidly rising floodwaters.

One year after deadly July 4 flooding

This latest flooding comes just over a year after the Guadalupe River in the Texas Hill Country rose to record-breaking levels during the early morning hours of July 4, 2025, killing at least 135 people.

Over the course of just a few hours, relentless rainfall caused rivers to surge, prompting Flash Flood Emergencies across Kerr County and surrounding communities.

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In some locations, waterways rose more than 30 feet in just one hour.

Hundreds of people were swept away as the Guadalupe River burst from its banks, washing away homes and vehicles while inundating campgrounds, including the all-girls summer camp, Camp Mystic.

At Camp Mystic, the search for more than two dozen missing girls quickly turned from a rescue operation into a recovery effort.

In total, 28 people connected to the camp lost their lives, including 25 campers between the ages of 8 and 10, two 18-year-old counselors and the camp's co-executive director.

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Now, just over a year later, many families and communities are still recovering from that historic disaster as another stalled storm system brings renewed flooding to the same region.