2 dead as record rain, flooding slams central Texas

At least two people died Friday as a severe storm system dumped record rainfall over central Texas and caused major flooding.

In Washington County, midway between Houston and Austin, one victim drowned after being trapped in a trailer home, according to Brenham Fire Department officials, KHOU-TV reports. A second person apparently died of a heart attack after driving through high water.

In addition, a 21-year-old man, also in Washington County, was reported missing after he called family members to say he was in high water.

Rising water also swept away two people in a car in Travis County and forced emergency officials in adjoining Bastrop County to urge motorists to stay off all roadways. STAR Flight, the Travis County air rescue squad, said it had snatched nine people and two dogs from floodwaters.

The National Weather service reported "amazing and record-shattering" rainfall in portions of the state Thursday, including 16.62 inches of rain in Brenham, about 80 miles northwest of Houston. The deluge — the most rainfall ever in the city — doubled its year-to-date rainfall total, which now stands at 33.06 inches.

Flash flood warnings were issued for Bastrop, Caldwell, Fayette and Lee Counties. In Travis County, where Austin is located, residents in one community were told simply to shelter in place, KVUE-TV reports.

Fire crews in southeast Travis County said two people in a car were swept away around 1:15 a.m. Friday by surging floodwaters. Police said the pair reportedly got stuck in a tree, and rescue crews were trying to locate the vehicle and the missing people, according to KXAN-TV.

In Bastrop County, officials ordered 120 houses evacuated early Friday because of the fast-rising Colorado River. Some parts of the county, located 15 miles southeast of Austin, received 10 inches of rain in just 12 hours.

At one point, the Bastrop County Emergency Management office warned of "extremely dangerous conditions" on all county roads and streets and urged motorists to "avoid driving anywhere in the county." It said emergency teams were hampered by high water and overwhelmed with water rescues.

In Bryan, Texas, two drivers were rescued from their vehicles after getting stuck in high water.

The heavy rainfall is part of a severe storm system in the Plains that triggered flooding and tornadoes from Texas to Kansas and into Missouri. A cluster of slow-moving thunderstorms is dumping heavy rain over the same areas continuously, Weather.com meteorologist Brian Donegan said.

The National Weather service warned additional severe thunderstorms — including large hail, damaging winds and a few tornadoes — are possible in eastern Texas, southern Oklahoma and southwest Arkansas.