At least 2 dead in Texas flash flooding as torrential rains hit

Jul 16, 2026

At least two people have died amid torrential rains and flash flooding in Texas Hill Country, the same region devastated by a deadly flood one year ago. Emergency crews have rescued over 230 people as some areas received over two feet of rain. The event is a major test for new warning systems, including 105 flood towers installed after the 2025 disaster that killed more than 100 people, with residents reporting improved alerts this year.

Flash flooding impact

▪Some areas west of San Antonio received over two feet of rain since the storms began on July 14, 2026.
▪At least 87 roadway sections across the state were closed due to the flooding.
▪The Guadalupe River at Comfort rose more than 30 feet in a few hours overnight on July 16, 2026.
▪Approximately six million Texas residents were placed under a flood watch during the week of the storms.
▪The Nueces River was forecast to swell to a record volume, reaching twice the flow of Niagara Falls.
▪The National Weather Service issued a flash flood emergency for Sonora in Sutton County on July 17, 2026.

Rescue operations

▪More than 80 people were evacuated from riverside campgrounds before floodwater reached dangerous levels.
▪Emergency services have conducted more than 230 rescues of people from homes and vehicles.
▪Texas deployed over 2,350 responders with equipment including Black Hawk helicopters and swiftwater rescue boats.

Flood fatalities

▪A 74-year-old man also died after his vehicle was swept away while driving on a flooded road near Uvalde.
▪Torrential rains in Texas have caused flash flooding, leading to at least two deaths.
▪One victim was 65-year-old John Mark Steward, who died after his mobile home was swept away in Kerrville.

Improved warning systems

▪Residents reported receiving numerous phone alerts and texts this year, in contrast to the lack of warning in 2025.
▪The owner of a Kerrville RV park, where deaths occurred in 2025, confirmed everyone was safe this time after sirens went off.
▪Since the 2025 disaster, 105 flood-warning towers were installed along the Guadalupe River.

Comparison to previous floods

▪The flooding is occurring in the same Texas Hill Country region that experienced a catastrophic flood one year prior.
▪The Guadalupe River has remained below the record levels set during the 2025 flood.
▪The flood in July 2025 killed more than 100 people, including 25 campers and two counselors at Camp Mystic.