Val Verde County flood death raises South Texas toll to three

A driver was swept away after entering high water in Val Verde County, and the South Texas flood death toll rose to three. Gov. Greg Abbott said the fatality happened when the victim drove into floodwater and was carried away in the county.

Abbott made the announcement while assessing flood damage in Cotulla, Texas, where the storm’s impact had spread across South Texas and into La Salle County. He said the state had already issued a disaster declaration for 59 counties and requested federal disaster assistance for 33, while federal relief had opened for 28 counties.

The Texas Division of Emergency Management said Abbott’s flood response included more than 1,750 personnel, 975 vehicles and more than 20 state agencies. Those resources were being pushed into a region where local officials have been dealing with dangerous high water and flash flooding across South Texas and the Texas Hill Country.

The Val Verde County death is a clear warning for drivers across the region: roads, low-water crossings and other flood-prone stretches can turn deadly with little warning once water rises. Two earlier flood deaths had already been reported before the Val Verde County fatality, showing that the danger had already spread beyond one community or one roadway.

Abbott’s update came as crews and local leaders in places like Cotulla were still trying to measure the damage and direct help where it was needed most. With high water still a hazard in parts of South Texas, the latest death adds pressure on local flood response efforts and puts more urgency on keeping drivers out of flooded roads and away from crossings that can disappear under fast-moving water.