Texas flood death toll reaches three as governor surveys

A third person has died in catastrophic flooding that has ravaged parts of Texas, Governor Greg Abbott confirmed on Friday, July 24, 2026. The victim was swept away while driving in Val Verde County on Monday, July 20, bringing the statewide death toll to three. The governor provided the update during a visit to Cotulla, a city in La Salle County approximately 90 miles southwest of San Antonio, where he conducted an aerial survey of the extensive damage.

The flooding, which began on July 12 following days of intense rainfall in Central Texas and the Hill Country, has prompted more than 500 rescues by state personnel. Earlier fatalities included a driver in Uvalde County and 65-year-old John Mark Steward of Kerrville, whose mobile home was swept into the Guadalupe River. Governor Abbott stated that at least 135 homes in Kerr County were destroyed or heavily damaged, and preliminary assessments indicate dozens of homes damaged in Cotulla and surrounding Dimmit and McMullen Counties. The total number of impacted homes across the state is estimated to be over 700, with that figure expected to rise as floodwaters recede and more areas become accessible for evaluation.