1 dead following multiple water rescues after severe weather in Austin
AUSTIN (KXAN) — As Central Texas continues to clean up after Wednesday's severe weather, the city held a press conference to talk about the response and more.
One person died in a series of water rescues following a heavy storm Wednesday evening, according to Austin-Travis County EMS and the Austin Fire Department which responded to them.
"Early last evening our city experienced a brief, but very powerful storm," said Austin City Manager TC Broadnax.
The storm leaving behind a wake of destruction with downed trees and branches, power lines snapped in half and there was also hail and flash flooding.
"The right lane of the highway was up to our knees flooded," said a driver.
Emergency crews received hundreds of calls during the severe weather and some of those calls involved water rescues.
"We responded with our public safety partners around the county to 9 water rescue calls which ranged from people in vehicles taking on water, pedestrians that were swept away by fast moving currents and others," said Austin-Travis County EMS Chief Robert Luckritz.
A social media post from ATCEMS advised those who were traveling at the time to "turn around don't drown." ATCEMS also advised to not travel unnecessarily.
Three people were swept away in the 2200 block of West North Loop Boulevard near Hancock Creek, according to AFD. It said one person was able to get out safely, while the Austin Police Department rescued a second. ATCEMS posted on X that the rescue had transitioned to a recovery, and Thursday morning AFD confirmed a body had been found near 49th Street.
Creeks that rose in some areas covered the roadways and cause some people to get stuck in the water, several cars stalled on Spicewood Springs Road.
"I have never seen this section of Spicewood springs at MoPac flood like this," said Sheri Gallo, former Austin City Council member.
Gallo was concerned after emergency crews left the area after initially blocking it off.
While they did have caution tape up, many people drove through it because it was dark and hard to see.
There were cones up on one side of the street, but some cars still tried to drive through the road, and one got stuck.
"We have reports and we did rescue people who did go around barricades," said Assistant Chief Andre De La Reza with the Austin Fire Department.
Mayor Kirk Watson later tweeted out that barriers were placed, and the Watershed Department sent out a truck to vacuum up the water.
The Austin Fire Department said it received more than 700 calls during the first few hours of Wednesday's severe weather.
Many of those calls were tree-down and wire-arcing calls, as well as some for water rescues of people being swept away.