Devastating flash floods leave more than a dozen dead in San Antonio
The city, which forecasters say typically gets about 3 inches of rain in June, was inundated with nearly 10 inches of rain last week.
Residents in San Antonio were recovering after a month's worth of rain swamped parts of the city, trapping drivers, triggering treacherous water rescues and leaving more than a dozen people dead.
The city, which forecasters said typically gets about 3 inches of rain in June, was inundated with nearly 10 inches of rain the night of June 11 and into the morning of June 12.
A rain gauge in Mico, Texas, about 25 miles northwest of San Antonio, reported 8.49 inches of rain in 24 hours on June 11, more than double the 3.28 inches that typically fall throughout all of June, Accuweather said. Closer to the coast, 20 miles east of Victoria, 9.85 inches was reported. Gauges near Carancahua Bay topped 14 inches by the end of last week, according to Accuweather.
The death toll rose to 13, according to San Antonio station WOAI. But all those who were missing have been found as of the weekend, the San Antonio Fire Department said.
"Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families and loved ones of those lost during this tragic event," the department said on its Facebook account.
San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg reached out to families and lauded first responders for their efforts to save lives. "Our hearts are with the families of those we’ve lost to this week’s flash floods and the families who continue searching for their loved ones," he said on X. "I want to personally thank our San Antonio first responders and their families for their sacrifices toward the recovery efforts."
Reports: Authorities recover, identify flash flood victims
The Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office told KENS 5 that 13 victims have now been recovered and identified.
On June 14, the county medical examiner's office shared the names of nine victims who died in floodwaters. They include Martha De La Torre Rangel, 55; Victor Manuel Macias Castro, 28; Matthew Angel Tufono, 51; Christine Gonzalez, 29; Rudy Garza, 61; Jose Pinadelatoore, 28; Andrew Sanchez, 60; Brett Riley, 63; and Stevie Richards, 42, according to MySanAntonio.com.
The county medical examiner's office identified three more victims on June 15, including Derwin Anderson, 43; Roseann Cobb, 41; and Carlos Valdez III, 67, MySanAntonio.com reported.
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'Like an ocean is coming at me'
Residents described harrowing calls from loved ones trapped by the rising waters on area roadways.
Martina Anderson told WOAI she last heard from her husband, Derwin, the morning of June 12. "He was in distress," she told the station. "He said his car had went off into the creek. He was actually going underwater as he called us. He was shouting 'I can't get out, I can't get out.' "
Brittany Guerrero said that her father, Rudy Garza, called her mother as floodwaters raged, KSAT reported. “He said, ‘Oh my God, Sylvia. Water’s coming into my car,’” Guerrero said. "She said, ‘Baby, can you reverse?’ And he goes, ‘You don’t understand. It’s like an ocean is coming at me.’"
What caused the flash flooding?
Heavy rain from overnight thunderstorms that hit San Antonio led to the tragic flooding, Weather.com reported, inundating roads across the city with high water.
In a news release on June 13, the city of San Antonio said severe storms caused widespread flash flooding with 3 to 8 inches of rain falling across Medina, Bexar, Comal, Hays and Guadalupe counties, as well as parts of the Coastal Plains.
The city noted that flooding remained a "serious concern" along the Medina River through June 13 and the San Antonio River south of the city through the weekend.
The fire department responded to 70 water rescue incidents and 16 "high water investigations," the city said. Those included an incident in which rapidly moving water swept away a line of cars that had been sitting in traffic the morning of June 12 into the creek below, KENS 5 reported.
As of June 15, four roadways remained closed because of flooding. The city previously reported that there were 18 roadway closures on June 13 because of debris and potential pavement damage. The city added that at least 15 over-water crossings showed possible structural damage, and two crossings sustained significant damage.