Texas flooding: 'Catastrophic' flooding underway in Hill Country

KERR COUNTY, Texas - Heavy rain across Central Texas has led to flooded rivers and creeks and multiple flash flood warnings and emergency notices from the National Weather Service.

A Flash Flood Emergency has been issued for the Guadalupe River from Center Point to Bergheim, says the NWS. This will be in place until 11:30 a.m.

The Latest:

9 a.m.

Severe flooding has forced the closure of multiple major roadways and county roads across Frio, Uvalde, and Zavala counties, transportation officials announced Thursday.

The following routes are currently closed to all traffic due to high water:

West FM 140: Closed from the Frio County line to Uvalde County.
U.S. 57: Closed from Interstate 35 to Zavala County.
FM 3352: Closed from Interstate 35 to U.S. 57.
FM 1581: Closed between Pearsall and Divot.
County Road 4201 (Beever Road): Closed from Interstate 35 to FM 1581.
County Road 4425 (Derby Road): Closed from Interstate 35 to FM 1581.

Authorities issued a stark warning to motorists, emphasizing that barricades have been placed in the roadway for public safety and protection from hazardous floodwaters. Drivers are strictly prohibited from moving or driving around any barricades.

8:02 a.m.

Kerrville City Hall says residents along Quinlan Creek should evacuate to higher ground. Local roads are still flooded with more rain expected.

The city is also asking the public to minimize water use to reduce strain on the system as the Surface Water Plant has been taken offline due to operational issues. The system has transitioned to groundwater well sites.

City officials say there are no issues with the community's water supply and that the conservation request is just a preventative measure.

7:40 a.m.

Kendall County has established emergency shelters at:

Comfort High School at 143 US-87 North in Comfort, Texas
Kendall County Golden Age Center at 628 Front St in Comfort, Texas

Kendall County officials are urging residents in Comfort to stay off the bridges and roads as the water is actively rising. They have also closed county officials for Thursday, July 16.

Residents along the Guadalupe in Comfort area are still urged to move to higher ground now and not wait to see water rising before taking action.

Emergency alerts can be accessed by texting KENDALL to 69310.

7:22 a.m.

Bandera County has temporary shelters in place for residents impacted by flooding:

Lakehills United Methodist Church at 150 Avenue J in Lakehills, Texas
Silver Sage Hill Country Resource Center at 803 Buck Creek Drive in Bandera, Texas

Southeastern Bandera County as well as Kendall County are under a Flash Flood Warning until 1 p.m. as Doppler radar and rain gauges have detected heavy rain across the area.

Between three inches and one foot of water has already fallen with additional rainfall up to one inch possible, says the NWS.

6:53 a.m.

Rescue boats are in the water in Kerr County.

At least two bridges have been washed away and flooded roads are hampering first responders in getting to flood-impacted areas.

Ten people trapped on top of a barn have been rescued.

According to the NWS, the Guadalupe River rose about 22 feet in less than an hour.

Kerr County flooding

Local perspective:

According to the NWS, at 5:30 a.m., a river gauge reported a large and deadly flood wave moving down the Guadalupe River.

The river gauge at Center Point, which sits between Kerrville and Comfort, has risen 32 feet in four hours and is expected to reach a crest similar to the July 4, 2025 catastrophic river flood that killed at least 130 people.

Flash flooding is already occurring, says the NWS.

What you can do:

Residents along the Guadalupe River are urged to seek higher ground now.

There are also two shelters in place for evacuees: