UVALDE, Texas (AP) 鈥� Rescuers aboard boats and helicopters saved dozens of stranded drivers and people trapped in homes from catastrophic flash floods in Texas in areas still reeling from a year ago.
At least one person was dead, Gov. Greg Abbott said, adding that it appeared many of the last year were not in danger. 鈥淥ur number one focus is saving lives,鈥� he said.
After , the National Weather Service said a 鈥渓arge and deadly flood wave鈥� barreled down the same river last summer when two dozen children and counselors were killed at Camp Mystic.
Much like last year, the floods came during the middle of the night, but this time many residents in the Texas Hill Country said they were better prepared and able to flee to higher ground.
Forecasters urgently warned 鈥淢ove to higher ground now!鈥� as rivers rose hour by hour, turning them into Some spots of the Guadalupe River rose by more than 30 feet (9 meters).
The governor said more 1,300 first responders had been deployed, rescuing well over 70 people. Kerr County reported one dead.
As much as 28 inches (74 centimeters) of rain fell over the past three days in Uvalde County, which was spared from the worst flooding a year ago, the weather service said Thursday. Other areas saw roughly a foot of rain with more expected going into Friday.
鈥淭his is hopefully the last real batch of rain,鈥� said Jason Runyen, a meteorologist with the weather service.
Hill Country residents say they were better prepared for floods
The unfolding crisis brought back of last summer’s unimaginable that killed more than 100 people over the July Fourth holiday.
鈥淚t鈥檚 crazy happening two times in one year,鈥� said Josiah Rodriguez, who woke to the sound of heavy rain around 2 a.m. Thursday in Kerrville. He navigated flooded roads to help evacuate relatives.
鈥淟ast year there was no warning of it,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t just kind of happened overnight and it took everyone by surprise. This year, a lot more alerts have gone into place, a lot more safety measures.鈥�
Residents said they were caught off guard a year ago and when floods overtopped the Guadalupe. Some for not acting quickly.
The storms and flooding this time threatened multiple counties close to the Mexico border and in the Hill Country near San Antonio. Roughly six million residents across Texas were under a flood watch this week, and some were expected to remain in effect through Friday evening.
Several agencies sent rescue helicopters to the flood zone, including Travis County in the state capital of Austin.
鈥淢y understanding is people were mostly trapped in trees and on rooftops,鈥� said Travis County Judge Andy Brown, who said one caller warned 10 people were trapped on a barn roof.
Residents rush animals and campers to higher ground
At a wild animal rescue, Katie Buck evacuated several dozen animals to higher ground in the dark Thursday as the normally dry Lazy Creek overflowed. She had to quickly grab a porcupine despite having no gloves.
She was able to get all of the animals to safety, but flooding destroyed several enclosures at the Buck Wild Animal Rescue and Wildlife Rehab near Ingram, which was hit hard 12 months ago.
鈥淲e were just starting to get back on our feet again,鈥� Buck said. 鈥淭o have to go through this again is just devastating.鈥�
Residents at an RV park in Comfort moved their trailers as sirens sounded, said manager Duke Earwood.
Water rose over the hoods of vehicles parked near the river at the Comfort RV Resort, which has about 200 residents. Markers showed the flooding already matched last July’s big flood.
鈥淭oo familiar for sure, and too soon,鈥� Earwood said.
Uvalde residents isolated by floodwaters
Floodwaters overran the city of Uvalde overnight, cutting off most outside routes. The Leona River, normally dry most of the year, filled streets with water.
鈥淧eople really can鈥檛 get anywhere鈥� said Carmen Rodriguez, who nervously watched water engulf her neighborhood as a helicopter roared overhead. 鈥淲e have a place to go, but all the streets are closed.鈥�
Rodriguez said authorities seemed to be well prepared, ordering mandatory evacuations and notifying people directly.
Uvalde officials found people trapped in vehicles overnight, said Juli Alvarado, a spokesperson for the police.
Texas Game Wardens rescued more than 40 people, mostly in the Uvalde County area, according to a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department spokesperson.
Flooding hasn’t reached last year’s deadly high
While heavily swollen from rainfall, so far the Guadalupe largely remained below the record levels reached during last year鈥檚 deadly floods.
Gauges showed it rose by more than 30 feet (9 meters) in some spots. One near Kerrville showed the river rose 32 feet (9.7 meters) in four hours.
Close to Camp Mystic, , the Guadalupe near Hunt reached about 20.5 feet (6.3 meters), which is enough to cause flooding, but still far below record levels from a year ago, according to U.S. Geological Survey and National Water Prediction Service data.
In Kerr County, where summer camps dot the river’s shores, the sheriff鈥檚 office said all campers were safe. Several camps said the children were staying inside, with one camp reporting normal flooding.
Towns still rebuilding are hit by new floods
Volunteer firefighters spent the night evacuating homes and answering frantic calls in Ingram, just up river from Hunt, said Ingram Mayor Claud Jordan.
While the water didn鈥檛 rise as high as a year ago, he believes this round of flooding was more widespread in his city. 鈥淭he rural part of Ingram, all the roads are just trashed,鈥� he said.
鈥淭here are a bunch of businesses that haven鈥檛 reopened from last year,鈥� Jordan said. 鈥淭his doesn鈥檛 help.鈥�
The Hill Country is especially prone to flash floods because the area鈥檚 signature limestone is covered by just a thin layer of soil. During heavy rains, water can quickly shoot downhill before filling the narrow river basins.
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Stengle reported from Dallas. Associated Press writers Christopher L. Keller in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut; Michael Phillis in Washington; Claudia Lauer in Philadelphia; Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire; Anna Wilder in Austin, Texas; Laura Turbay in Little Rock, Arkansas; and John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, contributed.
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