At least two dead as storms, flooding hit central Texas | Stories of the Flood

Two people have died, and more than 230 have been rescued, as torrential rains and flooding ravaged central Texas this week.

One of the victims, who has not been named, was swept away near Uvalde, a city 138 kilometers (six miles) southwest of San Antonio.

Another, John Mark Steward of Kerrville, Texas, is believed to have died after his trailer was swept away by flood waters from Goat Creek.

Heavy rain began on Tuesday, and storms continue to lash parts of the western part of the state, including Big Bend National Park.

The government has already sent 2,350 emergency personnel to the area, with helicopters and boats to rescue the missing people. A California man, Gabriel Pablo, was wrecked in an 18-wheeler that was washed away in the area when the floodwaters came through.

Pablo told San Antonio’s Fox affiliate KABB that the rain washed away his car “like (nothing)”.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a state of emergency declaration for 59 counties in the state, calling for around-the-clock emergency operations.

“We are dealing with a devastating flood,” Abbott said in a statement.

“Over 800 vehicles, over 75 boats, and 20 airplanes have been deployed.”

The National Weather Service reported 25 to 50cm (10 to 20 inches) of rain in parts of Texas, with some areas receiving as much as 60cm (two feet) of rain this week alone – more than they will receive in a year.

About 6 million people were placed under a flood watch in south and central Texas.

The recent rains also affected the same area where at least 139 people died in floods almost a year ago.

One of the hardest hit counties was Kerr County, where flooding last year killed 28 campers, staff and counselors at Camp Mystic, an all-girls summer camp.

Amid public pressure, the camp did not open for business this summer. It filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this year and faces wrongful-death charges over its response to the flooding.

Since last year’s flood, the government increased efforts ensuring greater emergency preparedness in the region, which is prone to severe weather.

For example, last September, Abbott signed legislation requiring sirens to be used in flood-prone areas throughout the state, including Kerr County. The legislation also provided $50m in funding to support the purchase and installation of warning systems.

Last month, Kerr County announced that the plan was in effect. KXAN, Austin’s NBC affiliate, reported that sirens sounded as flooding approached the area before the storm hit this week.

Legislation is also in the works at the federal level to improve emergency information.

This week, Senators John Cornyn, Republican of Texas, and Jon Ossoff, Democrat of Georgia, introduced legislation that would allow emergency communications to be provided by satellites in the event of phone failures.

The bill is called the Mystic Alerts Act, in honor of the flooding at Camp Mystic last year.