Heavy Storms Cause Deadly Flooding and Evacuations in Texas

Heavy rain set off deadly flooding, water rescues and evacuations along the Guadalupe River in Texas on Friday morning, the authorities said.

The authorities in Kerr County said that people had died in the flooding, but declined to disclose further details until the victims’ relatives could be notified.

The police in Kerrville, Texas, about 58 miles northwest of San Antonio, said on social media that they were working with the Kerrville Fire Department to evacuate residents, noting that “many roads and streets are flooding in town.”

“The entire county is an extremely active scene,” the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. “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.”

A Walmart store was being used as “a temporary reunification center” for people who had been displaced by the flooding, the Police Department said. The authorities urged people to stay out of flooded areas and to avoid driving through water. People were also advised not to call 911 for updates.

The flash flood warning, which covers southwestern Concho County and southeastern Tom Green County in west-central Texas, is expected to remain in effect until 10:30 a.m., according to the National Weather Service.

Up to four inches of rain have fallen, according to the Weather Service, which said that thunderstorms had brought heavy rain across the area. An additional two inches are possible, the agency said, warning that the rainfall had produced life-threatening flash flooding “of creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses.”

The Weather Service in San Angelo, Texas, said it had “received multiple reports of flooded roads and homes across Tom Green County.”

“These conditions are life-threatening,” the agency said, warning people stay off the roads if possible.

The mayor of Kerrville, Joe Herring Jr., issued a disaster declaration on Friday morning.

The city of Kerrville shared images on social media of the swollen Guadalupe River churning and swiftly moving under a bridge as traffic crawled across it cautiously. The city urged those who live close to the water to move to higher ground immediately.

The city’s Fourth of July celebration on the river was canceled because of the flooding, the city said.

This is a developing story.