Emergency officials rescued more than 70 people from flash floods in Central Texas on Wednesday, July 15, 2026 [1].

The disaster highlights the extreme volatility of the region's watersheds during persistent storm systems, where rapid water rises can trap residents and motorists in minutes.

Torrential rain slammed the region for three consecutive days, leading to dangerous conditions around San Antonio and nearby towns including Boerne and Kerrville [2, 3]. The storm system dropped more than one foot of rain since Monday [4].

In the Kerrville area, the Guadalupe River experienced a catastrophic surge, rising 16 feet in just 30 minutes [5]. This rapid increase prompted a flash flood emergency as water overwhelmed roads and infrastructure.

Rescue teams worked through the flooding to reach stranded individuals. While some reports indicate dozens were saved, other figures place the number of rescues at over 70 [1, 6].

At least two people died during the flooding events [4]. The deaths occurred as the persistent weather system continued to dump heavy rain across the Central Texas landscape [2, 4].

Local officials said residents should avoid traveling through flooded areas. The combination of saturated ground and intense rainfall created a high risk of further flash floods throughout the week [2, 3].

“Over 70 people were rescued from flash flooding in Central Texas.”

The speed of the Guadalupe River's rise—16 feet in half an hour—underscores the lethal nature of flash flooding in the Texas Hill Country. When a region receives over a foot of rain in three days, the soil reaches saturation, causing almost all subsequent rainfall to run off immediately into river basins. This creates a high-velocity surge that outpaces standard emergency warnings, necessitating immediate evacuation and specialized water rescue operations.