Texas flooding and flash floods in Texas Hill Country killed John Mark Steward in Kerrville after his RV home was swept away overnight. Two people were reported dead on Thursday as rescue crews kept working across Kerr, Uvalde, and Kendall counties.
By July 16, Texas Game Wardens had helped rescue more than 40 individuals from submerged vehicles and flooded homes. Most of the rescues happened between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m., when rising water moved fastest through low-lying areas.
Lynn Bizzell on Gillespie County
Fredericksburg Fire/EMS Chief Lynn Bizzell said in an update that “Today’s successful operations were made possible by the outstanding teamwork of our dedicated staff, volunteer fire departments, and state agency partners who worked together to keep our community safe.” She also said, “We’re also grateful to the residents of Gillespie County for heeding warnings and taking precautions. This event is not over, and we urge everyone to remain weather aware tonight, continue monitoring official updates and never drive through flooded roadways.”
Fredericksburg Fire/EMS said historic flooding had caused rising water across the Pedernales River, and The Pedernales River flows directly into Lake Travis in Austin. The LCRA said Lake Travis was 86 percent full as of July 16 and expected water levels to rise 5 to 7 feet overnight because of heavy rainfall and controlled releases.
Kerr County and Uvalde County
The National Weather Service kept a flood warning for Kerr County in effect until 6 p.m. on Friday, July 17, and issued a flood advisory for Gillespie County until 1 a.m. on Friday, July 17. Travis County officials asked people to stay out of the water for now as levels were expected to rise.
The family of the 65-year-old said he died in Kerrville, and the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office said the man in their county was in an RV home that was swept away by floodwaters overnight. The other victim killed was a 74-year-old man from Uvalde County.
As of July 16, more than 30 rescues had been completed, with many concentrated in the early morning hours. Residents and travelers across Central Texas faced the same practical order from the warnings already in place: stay away from flooded roadways and treat fast-rising water as a live hazard, not a backdrop.
