Millions in Texas Under Flood Warning, Four Dead After Being Swept Away
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Torrential rains swept through San Antonio early Thursday, leaving at least four people dead and two others missing as fast-moving floodwaters overwhelmed roads and neighborhoods across the city, officials said.
A flood warning remained in effect for millions of residents across parts of south-central and southeast Texas, including Jackson and Wharton counties. According to the National Weather Service, between 3 and 7 inches of rain had already fallen in those areas by late morning, with another 0.5 to 1 inch possible.
Calls for water rescues began just before sunrise, and by midmorning, emergency crews had performed 65 water rescues throughout the area, according to the San Antonio Fire Department. The victims — two women and two men — were found in the city's northeast, where authorities also discovered 13 vehicles submerged in water.
"It's hard to determine at this point exactly how they got swept away," said San Antonio Fire Department spokesman Woody Woodward. "But it is an area where there was high water that was moving rapidly and there were several people that were caught in that water that had climbed up into trees and we did do a couple of rescues out of trees and some rescues out of vehicles."
Interactive maps from Windy.com showed the affected areas.
Police Chief William McManus confirmed the deaths but did not release the victims' ages. Fire officials said crews are continuing to search for the two missing individuals.
The flooding followed hours of slow-moving thunderstorms and intense rainfall overnight. Eric Platt, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said more than 7 inches of rain fell in parts of the San Antonio area.
By late morning, floodwaters had begun to recede, but Platt warned that any additional rain — even light — could worsen conditions.
"I don't expect additional rain to be as heavy as overnight, but anything that falls on saturated ground can be a flooding problem," he said.
A police vehicle blocks a flooded roadway in San Antonio, Texas., where a vehicle was stranded after heavy rains in the city on Thursday, June 12, 2025.
A police vehicle blocks a flooded roadway in San Antonio, Texas., where a vehicle was stranded after heavy rains in the city on Thursday, June 12, 2025.
Associated Press
The service advised residents in flood-prone areas to remain cautious and avoid driving through submerged roads.
"Turn around, don't drown," the warning stated, noting that most flood-related deaths occur in vehicles.
Residents are encouraged to report observed flooding to local authorities and ensure the information is passed to the National Weather Service for real-time updates.
This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
This story contains reporting by The Associated Press.
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