Catastrophic storms have deluged parts of South Central Texas over the past three days, resulting in at least two fatalities and prompting dramatic rescue operations, including the aerial evacuation of a young girl, her family, and their dogs.
Dramatic video shared by Texas Governor Greg Abbott showed a rescue crew winching down to a flooded property in Uvalde on Wednesday. Nearly 30 inches of rain fell in the region over a three-day period, leading to dangerous conditions.
Abbott confirmed Thursday that 2,350 state emergency responders and 1,400 vehicles had been deployed to assist in the crisis. He urged residents to remain vigilant, monitor local forecasts, follow guidance from officials, and heed the "Turn Around Don't Drown" warning.
One of the victims, a 74-year-old man whose identity has not been released, was swept away while driving on a road near Uvalde, despite warnings from law enforcement. The Uvalde Police Department stated the man proceeded despite advisement against it.
The second victim, 65-year-old John Mark Steward, died in Kerr County. His wife, Jennie Steward, reported that a neighbor informed her of his disappearance. Their mobile home was swept away on Goat Creek, a tributary of the Guadalupe River, with floodwaters reaching its door.
As of Friday, floodwaters had begun to recede in some of the most affected areas. However, heavy rainfall continued to cause rising waters in other parts of Texas, with forecasters issuing alerts for life-threatening floods in west-central Texas, urging residents to seek higher ground.