Texas is facing yet another round of threat following the ongoing rescue operations from the previous flood disaster. On Sunday morning, July 13th, a new dangerous situation emerged in central Texas as heavy rain caused the rapid rise of the Lampasas River. Authorities have issued flash flood emergency status and a red alert.
According to the forecast from Fox Weather Center, on Sunday, a storm system once again brought serious concerns of flash flooding to certain areas of Texas, especially in the Hill Country and Concho Valley regions.
Some areas experienced rainfall rates of about 3 inches per hour, with total rainfall reaching 8 to 10 inches as of Sunday morning. This could lead to severe flooding disasters and rapid river rise.
The areas currently experiencing the strongest rainfall are north and west of Kerrville and Burnet, near the Junction and Killeen areas. All this rainfall is pouring into nearby rivers, such as the Lampasas River.
The flow rate of the Lampasas River has reportedly reached the volume of three Olympic-sized swimming pools per second, potentially leading to catastrophic consequences.
This poses an additional challenge to the rescue efforts in Texas. Certain hilly areas of Texas are still searching for victims swept away during the deadly historic flood that occurred over a week ago.
Earlier on Sunday, San Saba County had declared a flash flood emergency. The water level of the Lampasas River in the Adamsville area rose approximately 14 feet within two hours.
Meteorologist Adaleigh Rowe from Fox 7 in Austin, shared on social media platform X, “Colorado Bend State Park is under flash flood emergency, and this morning, 6 to 8 inches of rainfall has already been recorded. More rainfall is expected. So, if you live in the southeast region of San Saba County and have received evacuation notices, make sure to relocate to higher ground now.”
Kerr County officials issued a red alert, warning residents of potential dangers by Sunday morning. Kerr County was one of the hardest-hit areas during the deadly flooding that struck Texas over a week ago.
The Sheriff’s Office cautioned that excessive rainfall could lead to more flash flooding in the southern Edwards Plateau and hilly areas.
Furthermore, the water levels of the Rio Grande, southern Edwards Plateau, and hilly region rivers may rise rapidly.
Officials mentioned in the red alert that if you live near a river and it starts raining, move to higher ground.
The previous flood occurred in the early hours of July 4th, as heavy rain caused the Guadalupe River to rise 26 feet (about 8 meters) in just 45 minutes, submerging homes and camps along the banks. So far, rescue operations are still ongoing, with the death toll from that flood disaster reaching 129 people, while 166 people remain missing.