At least two people have been confirmed dead following catastrophic flash flooding that swept across the Texas Hill Country and other parts of Central and South Texas on July 16, 2026. The severe weather event, which saw the Guadalupe River out of its banks, prompted widespread emergency responses and the rescue of more than 200 people from submerged vehicles and flooded homes.
John Mark Steward Identified as Victim of Kerrville Floodwaters
Victims Identified
Family members and the Eanes Independent School District have identified one of the victims as John Mark Steward, a 1979 graduate of Westlake High School. Steward died near Kerrville after being swept away by floodwaters. His wife, Jennie, who was away on a business trip to North Texas at the time of the flooding, shared a statement on social media: My heart is broken, I am devastated. My husband, Mark, was found and went to be with Jesus. Thank you for all the search and rescue people.
Governor Greg Abbott confirmed that both deaths resulted from victims being swept away by floodwaters, noting that one victim was in a vehicle. The fatalities occurred in a region that experienced a similar flooding event on the Fourth of July one year prior, which resulted in more than 100 deaths.
National Weather Service Declares Flash Flood Emergencies Across 14 Counties
Emergency Response and Timeline
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued flash flood warnings for all or portions of seven counties as of 7:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 16. In Uvalde and the Knippa area, flash flood emergencies were declared for life-threatening flooding, with reports of up to 8 inches of rain falling over a two-hour period as of 4:00 a.m.
Hydrological data indicated rapid rises in river levels. According to reports cited by ABC News, the Guadalupe River at Hunt rose from 9 to 19 feet between 3:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. on Thursday. By shortly before 6:00 a.m., the gauge measured 37 feet at Hunt. Additionally, the NWS issued a flash flood emergency for the Pedernales River, where the gauge at Fredericksburg rose to more than 31 feet.
In Kerrville, the NWS described a large and deadly flood wave
moving downstream as slow-moving thunderstorms persisted across the region. Flash flood emergencies were also issued for the towns of Sonora and Ozona, where the NWS office in San Angelo reported that between 3.5 and 7 inches of rain had fallen, with an additional 1 to 3 inches expected.
Lower Colorado River Authority Monitors Pedernales River Levels Near Lake Travis
Ongoing Impact
Governor Abbott held a news conference on Thursday afternoon after meeting with emergency management and public safety officials. Protecting life remains our top priority as we work our way through, extraordinarily in many ways, record-breaking rain,
the Governor stated. Once again, life-threatening, catastrophic flooding remains.
While floodwaters began to recede in some of the hardest-hit areas of the Hill Country by Thursday, the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) warned of rising water levels on the Pedernales River, which flows into Lake Travis. Officials expected levels to rise 5–7 feet due to heavy rainfall and controlled releases, prompting Travis County officials to advise the public to stay out of the water.
Cleanup and recovery efforts are underway as the rain tapers off in the Hill Country, though forecasters continue to monitor overflowing rivers and saturated ground conditions.