Del Rio crews perform seven water rescues amid heavy rain flooding
Seven rescues in Del Rio showed how fast heavy rain can trap drivers in floodwater, with several roads and low-water crossings still closed Friday.
City crews carried out seven water rescues in Del Rio after Thursday morning’s heavy rain sent rising water across roads and low-water crossings, forcing rescuers to pull people out of danger. The call volume was a clear sign that the flooding was more than a nuisance, with the Del Rio Fire Department and Del Rio Police Department both kept busy as water moved through the city.
The rescues pointed to the places and behaviors that turn storm runoff into emergencies. In Del Rio, low-water crossings and low-lying routes can become hazardous quickly, and several roads and crossings remained closed after the flooding. The combination of fast-rising water and people still trying to move around town left city crews dealing with repeated water-related calls instead of one isolated incident.
Some department leaders have dealt with this before. Officials in both the fire and police departments had prior experience with water rescues during the city’s massive San Felipe Creek flooding event, a reminder that Del Rio has faced repeated high-water threats before. That history matters because it shows how quickly familiar routes can become dangerous when heavy rain pushes water into the streets and drainage channels.
The City of Del Rio Government and the City of Del Rio Office of Emergency Management continued monitoring water levels and assisting residents as needed while crews worked through the aftermath. On Friday morning, the National Weather Service still had flood warnings in effect for portions of the Rio Grande and Devils River, keeping the risk elevated even after the initial Thursday rescues were over.
For Val Verde County residents, the lesson from the seven rescues was immediate: a flooded street is not a shortcut, and a low-water crossing can turn into a trap in seconds. Vehicles can stall, footing can disappear, and visibility can drop fast when water is moving across the pavement. With several roads still closed and flood warnings still posted, the safest move remained the same across Del Rio: stay out of the water until conditions improve.
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