NPR Updates Death Toll in South Texas Floods

A significant update to NPR's article on the South Texas floods reveals a change in the death toll reported by Texas Governor Greg Abbott. The original article stated that 'at least one person has died in the current emergency,' while the updated version says 'at least two people have died.' This change indicates an increase in the number of fatalities. Furthermore, the updated article reports a substantial increase in the number of rescues made, from over 80 to over 230, and the number of responders and vehicles deployed, from over 1,300 and 46 boats to over 2,350 responders and 1,400 vehicles. The updated information is likely to provide a more accurate picture of the severity of the situation and the response efforts.

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Flood sirens blare in southcentral Texas as rivers reach perilous heights +170 -162
Accessibility links Skip to main content Keyboard shortcuts for audio player Open Navigation Menu --> Newsletters NPR Shop Get NPR+ Close Navigation Menu Home News Expand/collapse submenu for News National World Politics Business Health Science Climate Race Culture Expand/collapse submenu for Culture Books Movies Television Pop Culture Food Art & Design Performing Arts Life Kit Gaming Music Expand/collapse submenu for Music Tiny Desk New Music Friday All Songs Considered Music Features Live Sessions Podcasts & Shows Expand/collapse submenu for Podcasts & Shows Daily Morning Edition Weekend Edition Saturday Weekend Edition Sunday All Things Considered Up First Here & Now NPR Politics Podcast Featured Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! Fresh Air Wild Card with Rachel Martin It's Been a Minute Embedded Get NPR+ More Podcasts & Shows Search Newsletters NPR Shop Get NPR+ Tiny Desk New Music Friday All Songs Considered Music Features Live Sessions About NPR Diversity Support Careers Press Ethics Flood sirens blare in Texas as rivers reach perilous heights Flood sirens blared early Thursday in Comfort, Texas, as the Guadalupe River rose more than 30 feet in three hours, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The storm could bring even more rainfall than last year's deadly Fourth of July floods.
− National Flood sirens blare in southcentral Texas as rivers reach perilous heights July 16, 20265:30 PM ET By Bill Chappell A person views the Guadalupe River after flash flooding occurred along its banks on July 16, 2026 in Center Point, Texas.
+ National Flood sirens blare in South Central Texas as rivers reach perilous heights Updated July 16, 202610:17 PM ET Originally published July 16, 20265:30 PM ET By Bill Chappell A person views the Guadalupe River after flash flooding occurred along its banks on July 16, 2026 in Center Point, Texas.
Flash floods swept across parts of Central Texas, prompting evacuations and triggering multiple water rescues.
− Brandon Bell/Getty Images hide caption Dangerous floods are hitting southcentral Texas — a region that just marked one year since more than 130 people died in catastrophic flooding.
+ Brandon Bell/Getty Images hide caption Dangerous floods are hitting South Central Texas — a region that just marked one year since more than 130 people died in catastrophic flooding.
Gov.
− Greg Abbott says at least one person has died in the current emergency.
+ Greg Abbott says at least two people have died in the current emergency.
− More than 80 rescues have been made, the governor's office said at midday on Thursday, adding that more than 1,300 responders and 46 boats have been deployed.
+ More than 230 rescues have been made, the governor said Thursday evening, adding that more than 2,350 responders and 1,400 vehicles have been deployed.
A wide swath of Texas is under flood alerts, from the Kerrville area south to Uvalde and beyond to Laredo. In parts of Uvalde County, muddy floodwaters covered roads and fields and rose nearly as high as houses' rooftops, according to a video posted by Texas Department of Public Safety.
+ With heavy rains expected to continue into Friday, Abbott said Uvalde and Johnson City are at the greatest risk of life-threatening floods overnight. "The people in that area need to be very cautious," Abbott said.
In some cases, communities that endured flooding on Wednesday are being deluged once again. "Showers and thunderstorms continue developing and moving into areas that are currently experiencing dangerous flooding conditions," the National Weather Service office in San Antonio and Austin said. NPR member stations in Texas are covering the floods. In some cases, residents tell reporters that flooding exceeds levels they saw in 2025. In Kerrville, the city police department said in a noon update that while high water had mostly receded, the emergency is ongoing, with numerous road and bridge closures. The agency urged residents not to venture out. "There is a lot of people driving around to take a look and that is not helpful," the police said. At least one summer camp has evacuated, according to the Texas Newsroom, and state lawmakers say they're seeing an improved safety response to the floods, thanks to an increase in disaster resources such as funding for warning systems and flood mitigation. The Guadalupe River rose at terrifying speed near Comfort, Texas, Thursday morning — from 5.46 feet at 5 a.m. CT to 37.05 feet at 8:05 a.m. — according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Flood sirens blared Thursday morning in the town, northwest of San Antonio that's some 35 miles east of Camp Mystic. "We have already had several vehicles swept away," the Comfort Volunteer Fire Department said on social media, urging people to stay off the roads. It posted a video of fast-moving high water moving through a neighborhood. "Even if the rain has stopped where you are, water levels are likely to continue surging throughout the day as runoff from upstream moves through our creeks and rivers," the department said.
− A map on the NOAA website shows more than 20 sites in Texas where major (in purple) or moderate (in red) flood levels are being observed or forecast.
+ Gov.
− NOAA/ Screenshot by NPR hide caption Gov. Greg Abbott warns that the flood will likely break records, in an area that's historically prone to flooding.
+ Greg Abbott warned that the flood will likely break records, in an area that's historically prone to flooding.
"I want to give you a comparison: The Fourth of July floods last year had rainfall of 20.29 inches," Abbott said, according to the Texas Newsroom. "The expected rainfall during this rainstorm is expected to be more than 30 inches." Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp, remains shut down after 25 campers and two counselors died last year — the result of a wall of water rushing down the Guadalupe River. They were among the more than 130 people who died across the Hill Country region. More excessive rainfall is forecast across the Texas Hill Country Thursday, with the storm moving westward toward the Big Bend region on Friday, according to the National Weather Service. Sponsor Message Become an NPR sponsor