2 dead as catastrophic floods once again hit Texas Hill Country
At least two people have died as catastrophic flooding has stricken Texas Hill Country, a little over a year after rains overwhelmed the same region's Guadalupe River, causing flooding that killed over 130 people.
"Extreme rainfall" in the last few days has totaled near 2 feet in some areas of Texas Hill Country, according to totals from the Weather Prediction Center. In Leakey, Texas, 23.37 inches have fallen since Monday afternoon. At one recording station in Kerrville, hit hard by storms in July 2025, 20.71 inches of rain have fallen.
Most of the rain has been concentrated in Uvalde, Kinney, Bandera, Kerr and Gillespie counties, where widespread totals were between 6 and 13 inches, Gov. Greg Abbott said on July 16. More heavy rain is expected on July 17 due to a slow-moving weather pattern, the National Weather Service said.
The rain has again caused rivers, including the Guadalupe, Nueces and Frio, to surge to near or over record levels. The Nueces River near Uvalde reached a record crest of 28.01 feet on July 16, according to preliminary data, breaking a record of 24.88 feet set in 1996. Abbott said the Nueces was expected to reach two times the flow of Niagara Falls.
Photos from Kerrville show water from the Guadalupe River covering roads and downed trees. Video shared by Texas Game Wardens showed vehicles submerged and being swept away in water. Hundreds of water rescues have been performed, Abbott said.
"We're facing record-shattering rainfall that leads to very dangerous flooding. We want to do everything we possibly can to protect all lives," Abbott said.
Fifty-nine Texas counties were under a flood watch, Abbott said on July 16.
2 dead in Texas flooding
At least two people were reported dead in the flooding, Abbott confirmed on July 16.
A male near the city of Comfort died after being swept away in an RV, he said. A female in Uvalde was swept away by floodwaters while driving on a road, Abbott said. The governor did not release the victims' identities or ages.
Jennie Steward told the Associated Press one of the victims was her husband, 65-year-old John Mark Steward of Kerrville. She said she was away visiting her parents when she heard from a neighbor that their mobile home had been swept away.
"It's really hard that I wasn't there with him," she told the AP, adding that they had just celebrated their third anniversary.
Abbott said more than 230 water rescues have been performed since flooding began. There were 2,350 emergency responders working on flood response, and about 1,400 vehicles including helicopters, rescue boats and high-profile vehicles had been deployed, he said.
Texas Game Wardens said they have been involved in rescues from homes, submerged vehicles and cars swept off roads. They shared video of a responder carrying a small child wearing a life vest and snorkel goggles through floodwaters and into a waiting boat. Another video showed a rescue by helicopter.
Officials urged residents not to drive on any roads covered by water.
Flooding comes 1 year after Texas tragedy
Flooding just over a year ago, over the night and early morning of July 4, 2025, caused the Guadalupe River to pour into surrounding communities, killing more than 130 people, including 28 at a Christian summer camp for girls, Camp Mystic.
Abbott said the lessons learned from that flooding event have served to prevent more catastrophe this time, though the behavior of the water along riverfront campgrounds is different than it was then. Abbott said early on, over 80 people were cleared from campgrounds.
Flood warning systems installed after the 2025 flooding were activated, he said.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2 dead as catastrophic floods once again hit Texas Hill Country
Reporting by Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY / USA TODAY
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Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect
This story was originally published July 17, 2026 at 9:07 AM.