Washout in Texas
The flooded Llano River flows past a washed-out bridge Tuesday in Kingsland in central Texas, where more than a foot of rain has fallen in recent days. Homes in the area were evacuated and numerous water rescues were reported.
LLANO, Texas — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott declared a state of disaster Tuesday in 18 flood-stricken counties in central and south Texas, noting that the flooding “has caused widespread and severe property damage and threatens loss of life.”
The declaration came after fast-moving floodwaters destroyed a bridge, forced the evacuation of riverside homes and led to numerous water rescues in central Texas.
The bridge crumbled as it was overrun by the bloated, roiling Llano River in Kingsland, about 65 miles northwest of Austin. The Llano and Colorado rivers meet at Kingsland, and the National Weather Service said both were experiencing “major flooding.”
Residents were evacuated in Kingsland and in Marble Falls, which was being overwhelmed by the Colorado River. Several school districts closed for the day, and emergency personnel blocked access to more than 150 low-water crossings.
A body was found Tuesday in rain-swollen Lake Lyndon B. Johnson, situated where the Llano flows into the Colorado.
Officials say they have yet to identify the person, who was found a week after four people were washed away when the South Llano River overran a recreational-vehicle park in Junction, Texas.