Central Texas is currently battling extensive and dangerous flooding, with at least one person confirmed dead. The severe weather has struck the same area that suffered catastrophic flash floods last summer, which tragically resulted in more than 130 fatalities. The National Weather Service in San Antonio has issued urgent warnings, describing the ongoing situation as "large and deadly" due to torrential rainfall in recent days.
Emergency officials began encouraging residents in the affected areas to evacuate early on Thursday morning. Texas Governor Greg Abbott provided an update on Thursday afternoon, confirming the single fatality and stating that around 80 rescues had been made. He emphasised that the person who died was not a camper in the region, which was a significant concern following last year's events. Governor Abbott also highlighted that "rapidly rising rivers" are expected to continue their ascent throughout the day, posing an ongoing threat.
The Guadalupe River, a key waterway in the region and the source of last year's deadly flash floods, has seen a dramatic increase in its water level. According to reports, the river rose by 9.75 metres (32 feet) in just four hours. The National Weather Service in San Antonio has underscored the urgency, posting on social media platform X: "CATASTROPHIC flooding is occurring. Move to higher ground now! Guadalupe River is rapidly rising and will continue!"
The current flooding impacts multiple counties across South Texas, including Uvalde, Kerr, and Kendall. This mirrors the devastating events of last year's Fourth of July holiday, when the same Texas Hill Country area was submerged. During that tragedy, 25 children and two counsellors from Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp near Kerrville situated along the Guadalupe River, were among the more than 130 lives lost. The river had surged by 8 metres (26 feet) in approximately 45 minutes, sweeping away campers in forceful currents.
In the wake of last year's immense loss, Camp Mystic made the difficult decision not to reopen for the current summer season and filed for bankruptcy earlier this year. The recurrent nature of these severe weather events in central Texas underscores the vulnerability of the region to intense rainfall and rapid river surges, prompting ongoing concerns for public safety and infrastructure.