First responders in Texas have conducted rescues of individuals stranded in rapidly rising floodwaters in the southern part of the state on Friday following heavy rainfall that led to two fatalities. Water rescues were in progress in various areas to the west of San Antonio, encompassing Sutton, Crockett, and Zavala counties. Floodwaters breached Interstate 10 in a rural vicinity near Ozona, while a segment of a bridge over the Nueces River in Uvalde County collapsed.
Since the onset of storms on Tuesday, over 200 individuals, including drivers stuck in floodwaters and residents trapped in their homes, have been saved by emergency personnel using boats and helicopters, as reported by Governor Greg Abbott. A flash flood emergency was declared by the U.S. National Weather Service early in the morning for Sonora in Sutton County, located 274 kilometers northwest of San Antonio.
Local authorities utilized a boat to rescue an individual, and residents residing in low-lying areas along the Dry Devils River were encouraged to evacuate due to heavy rainfall, although evacuation was not mandatory, according to Chief Deputy Jon Gann. The Crockett County officials reported ongoing boat rescues near Ozona, approximately 320 kilometers northwest of San Antonio, with numerous flooded and impassable roads. In Zavala County, roughly 290 kilometers south of San Antonio near the Mexico border, emergency responders were engaged in rescuing individuals from floodwaters and advising residents to steer clear of the area.
Multiple counties in the Texas Hill Country, still recovering from devastating floods the previous year, were under flash flood warnings. The inclement weather system was projected to move slowly in a northwesterly direction, heading towards the Texas Big Bend in the state’s western region. The flooding and storms affected several counties near the Mexico border and in the Hill Country close to San Antonio, placing approximately six million Texans under a flood watch this week.
Tragically, one individual lost their life after being swept away while driving on a flooded road near Uvalde, and another victim, 65-year-old John Mark Steward from Kerrville, died when his mobile home was carried away into Goat Creek on the Guadalupe River. The slow-moving weather system, which had severely impacted Uvalde, was gradually moving away, allowing waters to recede, with Route 90 reopening and cleanup operations in progress. However, residents in the Chalk Bluff area were advised to evacuate due to rising waters.
Sandra Gomez, assessing the water damage at her Uvalde residence, expressed the emotional toll of the situation but recognized the safety of her family as the top priority. The Guadalupe River, which caused tragic flash floods last year, was below record levels reached in 2025 but still posed a flooding risk in certain areas.