Disastrous flash flooding has hit South Texas, resulting in at least two fatalities and hundreds of rescues, following days of heavy rainfall. Texas Governor Greg Abbott reported over 230 rescues, utilizing more than 85 boats and 20 aircraft. Among the deceased is 65-year-old John Mark Steward, who was swept away in an RV, and a 74-year-old man found dead near Uvalde after his car was submerged.
Parts of South Texas received nearly a year’s worth of rain within a short period. Although the immediate threat has decreased, flash flood warnings were issued for areas further west. The National Weather Service declared a flash flood emergency for Kerrville and nearby areas, warning of a significant flood wave moving down the Guadalupe River.
Rescue efforts included evacuating over 80 people from riverside campsites and extracting families trapped by rising waters. Officials credited a new warning system, developed after last year’s catastrophic floods, for allowing timely evacuations. Local residents, still traumatized from last year’s floods which claimed 130 lives, acknowledged the system’s effectiveness in alerting them early. Governor Abbott emphasized the importance of vigilance during flooding events, shifting the state’s approach since last year’s disaster.
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