According to reports, multiple people have died as a result of the deadly floods that hit Texas.
Flooding in central Texas, where the Guadalupe River reached its second-highest level ever on Friday, July 4, has claimed at least 13 lives, according to ABC affiliate Eyewitness News.
Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly previously confirmed that at least six people died in the flooding, as reported by NBC affiliate News 4 San Antonio, ABC affiliate KVUE, and the Austin American Statesman.
The Kerr County Sheriff’s Office also confirmed “fatalities,” but did not provide an exact figure. They urged residents to “shelter in place and avoid travel.”
“Those near creeks, streams, and the Guadalupe River should immediately move to higher ground,” according to the warning.
PEOPLE have contacted the Kerry County Sheriff’s Office and Judge Kelly for more information.
Kerr County, about 50 miles northwest of San Antonio, has been severely impacted by the floods. The city of Kerville declared a state of emergency due to the floods, while Hunt (also in Kerry County) received more than six inches of rain in three hours on Friday, a “one-in-100-year event” in the region, according to CNN.
CNN reported that the flooded area received “more than an entire summer’s worth of rain” in a matter of hours.
The flooding occurred along the Guadalupe River, which runs from Kerr County to San Antonio Bay, according to the outlet. The National Weather Service stated that the river experienced a “large and deadly wave.”
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the river reached 34.76 feet around noon local time on Friday. NOAA called the flooding “disastrous” and “life-threatening,” stating that it spread “over a mile across in some areas, flooding many homes” — including “some to the roof.”
“Large areas of the flood plain are cut off, drowning hundreds of cattle,” the agency reported. “Most roads and bridges near the river flood and are extremely dangerous to motorists, cutting off residents in some areas until the water recedes.”
Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring told a press conference on Friday morning that the floods occurred while people were sleeping on Thursday, July 3, according to CNN.
After thanking first responders for “working to save lives, save property,” the mayor said, “Please, pray for our community.”
