South Texas residents plucked from homes amid deadly flooding and torrential rains
McAllen, Texas, took the worst of it, picking up 7.93 inches, good enough for its third-wettest day of all time, and more than a third of their average annual rain, according the FOX Forecast Center said.
Heavy rain in San Antonio may lead to more flooding
South Texas is reeling from extremely heavy overnight rain that caused numerous Flash Flood Emergencies, particularly along the Rio Grande Valley. FOX Weather Correspondent Robert Ray is live in San Antonio, three hours north of McAllen, with a look at conditions this morning.
MCALLEN, Texas – Devastating flooding hit the Rio Grande Valley on Thursday and lingered into Friday after repeated rounds of thunderstorms dumped as much as a foot of rain in less than 48 hours, leaving multiple people dead and hundreds to be rescued.
According to Hidalgo County officials, at least three people were killed during the flash flooding, but all cases were under investigation by law enforcement or U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The CBP says a driver died in Edcouch, Texas when he drove across a flooded road then plunged into a canal while trying to flee from a border patrol agent and one other person was missing.
Watch: Drone video shows widespread flood damage in Rio Hondo, Texas
An aerial view Friday morning reveals the widespread flood damage impacting Rio Hondo, Texas, following recent heavy rains.
Amidst the dangerous conditions created by the storms, U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Rio Grande Valley Sector along with Hidalgo County Sheriff's deputies, worked tirelessly through Thursday night, partnering with police in Mercedes and Weslaco to rescue affected residents.
Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office rescues residents trapped in flood waters on March 28, 2025. (Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office / FOX Weather)
Their efforts included responding to 37 locations to bring community members to safety, resulting in 15 rescues.
"Prayers for all our residents who are affected by the storm and flooding," U.S. Border Patrol's Rio Grande Valley Sector said, posting photos of dozens of rescues.
McAllen hospital suffers flooding
McAllen, Texas, took the worst of the storm, picking up 7.93 inches, which is good enough for the city's third-wettest day of all time, and more than a third of their average annual rain, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
Video and photos from the border town showed cars stuck in the high floodwaters and staff scrambling to help patients at a local medical center, where water had intruded.
South Texas Health System McAllen told FOX Weather that they remain open Friday and continue providing care to patients. On Thursday, the facility experienced minor flooding on the first floor due to a stormwater drain issue, which was swiftly repaired.
"Contrary to reports in the media, the facility did not send patients to other hospitals since the flooding was contained solely to a portion of the first floor," the medical center told FOX Weather. "For safety reasons, the hospital did temporarily halt visitation hours in the late afternoon as crews worked diligently to remove water from impacted hallways."
Watch: Deep flooding on I-2 in McAllen, Texas, leaves cars abandoned
Parts of southern Texas were unrecognizable Thursday after severe flooding has invaded the area. The city of McAllen is under a Flood Watch until Friday morning.
Valley International Airport in Harlingen closed Friday, and all flights were canceled due to flooding in the region.
"We are working tirelessly to reopen and focused on ensuring safety," the airport said. "Passengers should contact airlines directly to reschedule flights."
WHY ‘HIGH RISK’ FLOOD DAYS NEED TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY
Roads vanish as heavy rain floods McAllen, Texas
Linda Ortiz Jenkins recorded this video from her car as she encountered the severe flooding around the McAllen Police Department on Bicentennial Boulevard while on her way to get pizza.
In Brownsville, the city shattered its record for the wettest March day on record, picking up 5.70 inches. The previous record was 4.79 inches in 2007. The Brownsville Independent School District closed all schools and facilities Friday due to the flooding.
The heavy rain prompted the issuance of a Flash Flood Emergency for southeastern Hidalgo County. This was the first Flash Flood Emergency issued by NWS Brownsville since July 26, 2020. In total, the rain prompted the issuance of four Flash Flood Emergencies across Hidalgo and Cameron counties.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to activate state emergency response resources ahead of increased threats of severe weather and flash flooding in large areas of the state through the weekend.