Disaster declarations have been issued for parts of central Texas after heavy rains produced “a catastrophic flooding event” and killed an as yet unconfirmed number of people.
The National Weather Service issued multiple flash flood warnings followed by a flash flood emergency early on Friday morning for Gillespie and Mason counties, after more than a foot of rainfall fell in just a few hours in the hill country west of Austin.
The local news outlet KXAN warned that “life-threatening flooding is imminent or occurring. Leave low-lying or flood-prone areas immediately, but do not drive over water-covered roads.”
Water rescues and evacuations were under way on Friday morning as river levels surged, triggering flash flooding.
“Conditions are life-threatening! DO NOT go out onto the roads,” the National Weather Service in San Angelo urged on Friday morning. “Expect roads washed out and rapid rises on rivers and creeks.”
The sheriff’s office in Kerr county said in a Facebook post that the area was experiencing “a catastrophic flooding event”.
“We can confirm fatalities but will not release further information until next of kin are notified. Our Office is working with a wide variety of local and state agencies to respond to calls and rescues,” it said.
The sheriff’s office added that “the entire county is an extremely active scene. Residents are encouraged to shelter in place and not attempt travel. Those near creeks, streams, and the Guadalupe River should immediately move to higher ground.”
In Kerrville – the seat of Kerr county – the mayor, Joe Herring Jr, issued a disaster declaration for the city on Friday morning due to the dangerous flooding.
In San Angelo, the police department issued an alert warning people to “stay in your residence and avoid traveling” and to “shelter in place in the downtown area”.
The rains come after a long drought in the region that has left the soil bone-dry, increasing the chances of runoff leading to flash flooding.
“Automated rain gauges indicate a large and deadly flood wave is moving down the Guadalupe River,” the National Weather Service warned.
“Flash flooding is already occurring. This is a flash flood emergency for the Guadalupe River from Center Point to Sisterdale. This is a particularly dangerous situation. Seek higher ground now!”
The Guadalupe River rose 22ft in just three hours and was at its second-highest level on record by early Friday morning. A few hours later, the river gauge that measured that rise was damaged and out of operation as a result of the flooding, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
Nearby San Angelo typically records about an inch of rain in July, but the city is estimated to have received rain from about 2in to upwards of 10in, according to the reports.
The rains in central Texas are expected to continue until later Friday. But in other parts of the state, warned Texas Tribune editor Matthew Watkins, there other meteorological extremes.
“The NWS map for Texas right now is absolutely insane,” Watkins wrote on X. “There are flood, tornado, red flag (dangerous wildfires), high wind and blizzard warnings in various parts of the state. Also coastal flood and high surf advisories.”