At least 11 individuals have lost their lives and several others remain unaccounted for following severe flash flooding in San Antonio, Texas. Officials warn that the death toll may continue to rise as search and recovery operations proceed, which are expected to take several days.
Rescue efforts by the San Antonio Fire Department are currently focused on locating at least four people still missing after the tumultuous storms on Wednesday and Thursday swept vehicles off the roads and into a creek, reported CBS, a partner of the BBC’s US news coverage.
As of Friday afternoon, the fire department had conducted over 70 water rescues, with at least four individuals taken to hospitals with minor injuries, according to the city’s official website. The department has deployed K9 units and requested additional support from a statewide urban search and rescue team.
Among the deceased, three victims have been named: Martha De La Torre Rangel, Matthew Angel Tufono, and Victor Manuel Macias Castro. They were caught in their vehicles near the Perrin Beitel neighborhood around 5:00 AM local time when the heavy rains surged, trapping them, as reported by CBS, citing fire officials.
Angel Richards shared her anguish with CBS affiliate KENS 5, recounting a conversation with her husband, Stevie, who called while on his way to work, indicating he was trapped in floodwaters. “It’s hard because I was on the phone when this happened, and then not to have a lot of communication, to see my car, it’s devastating to me,” she expressed. “No one can say to me, ‘Hey, this is what’s going on.'”
San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg conveyed his sympathies to the victims’ families, stating on X, “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.”
Additionally, Joaquin Castro, a Democratic House Representative from San Antonio, labeled the flash floods a “tragedy.” On X, he offered his prayers for the victims’ families and emphasized the community’s resilience: “San Antonio always stands together when tragedy strikes and we will continue to do so as our community grieves this loss.”