The Austin Fire Department shared additional details with MySA regarding an attempted water rescue made amid flash flooding Tuesday morning, July 14. A department spokesperson said crews fielded the initial call from a woman who said three people were located in a tunnel when she “heard them scream,” with the caller adding she was unable to find her friends as water levels began rising.
After an extensive search that included cross-organization assistance and drones, AFD personnel were unable to find the missing people.
“Austin Fire and ATCEMS conducted an extensive search of the area. The search included AFD Special Operations Swift Water Rescue personnel searching the banks, as well as crews checking bridge crossings to ensure they were clear,” the spokesperson wrote in an email to MySA. “AFD also deployed a drone to search along the waterway.”
The Austin Fire Department confirmed agency personnel are on site at 2200 Hancock Drive in North Central Austin amid reports of three people submerged in water, officials shared in a social media post shortly before 8 a.m. on Tuesday. Responding crews are currently searching Shoal Creek, near the intersection of MoPac and FM 2222, as part of that rescue efforts, officials added.
In an update shortly after 8 a.m. Tuesday, the Austin Fire Department confirmed its crews alongside medics from the Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services searched the surrounding area near the incident site and weren’t able to find any missing people. AFD officials said they are “demobilizing the scene” as a result.
Austin-based meteorologist Avery Tomasco highlighted the search effort on his social media page Tuesday morning, writing: “Just 1″ of rain falling in 30 minutes was enough to put lives at risk this morning. Hoping they are found safe.”
The National Weather Service’s Austin-San Antonio office stressed the “potential for life-threatening flooding across parts of South Central Texas” beginning Tuesday evening and running through Thursday night, July 16. The agency added a Flood Watch will remain in effect for a large swatch of South Central Texas during that same timespan as a result.
“Stay weather aware and check for updates as we go through this wet and significant rain pattern,” NWS wrote in its forecast discussion, adding dry weather is expected to return this weekend.