Texas experienced widespread heavy rainfall on Tuesday, leading to washed-out highways, stranded motorists, and dozens of high-water rescues. Forecasters are warning that additional severe weather could bring dangerous flooding to areas already saturated near the Mexico border.
Up to a foot of rain fell in some rural parts of South Texas, prompting officials to close sections of a major highway for several hours near Uvalde, approximately 80 miles west of San Antonio. A flood watch was also issued for Kerr County, an area that experienced catastrophic flooding along the Guadalupe River last year.
No injuries or fatalities were reported on Tuesday. However, the National Weather Service cautioned that storms overnight could bring more than a foot of additional rain to some locations by Wednesday, posing a risk of dangerous flash flooding in areas west of San Antonio. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has issued a disaster declaration for numerous counties.
"Intense rain rates and compounding effects from multiple rounds of storms will result in a dangerous flash flooding threat through Thursday," the National Weather Service stated.
Rescue crews were seen in videos navigating flooded streets on boats, with one vehicle seen being carried downstream by fast-moving water. According to Maggie Berger, a spokesperson for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, members of the Texas Game Warden Search and Rescue Team rescued five people, while a local game warden rescued four others. In Uvalde, officials reported at least two dozen water rescues and opened a local event center for residents displaced by the flooding.