GILLESPIE COUNTY, Texas — The Pedernales River is flooding at a life-threatening rate, with the water in Fredericksburg rising to its highest level since 1979 as torrential rain continues to fall over the Hill Country.

CBS Austin meteorologist Avery Tomasco said the river had climbed 20 feet in a single morning. By 9 a.m., gauges showed the Pedernales at 32 feet with a flow rate of 63,000 cubic feet per second, and rising rapidly.

“This is a life-threatening situation with water rescues ongoing south of Fredericksburg,” Tomasco said. “You have time to get away from the river. Do so now. Get to higher ground before the flood wave hits.”

Tomasco urged everyone along the Pedernales River in Gillespie and Blanco counties to move away from the water as the flood wave moves downstream. The river was in major flood stage Thursday morning, the highest since 1979.

The flood water will move downstream through Hill Country communities including Stonewall, Johnson City and Pedernales Falls State Park.

Fredericksburg Fire EMS urged anyone along the Pedernales River to closely monitor conditions and move to higher ground immediately if water levels rise, and said residents in low-lying parts of Gillespie County should be ready to leave if conditions worsen.

The department said Highway 16 South and Highway 87 South were impassable, along with multiple other roads across the county, and warned drivers not to go around barricades or drive through flooded roadways.

Fredericksburg/Gillespie County emergency management officials said early Thursday that travel was discouraged from Fredericksburg to western Gillespie County.

The agency urged residents to stay home until the storms and flooding subside, saying doing so would lessen the chance of getting caught in floodwaters.

Anyone in Gillespie County who hasn’t been able to contact a loved one is asked to call the non-emergency dispatch line at 830-990-8793 and select option one.

“Timely reporting helps ensure we can make contact, assess the situation and provide assistance when needed,” Fredericksburg Fire EMS said.

Gillespie County Judge Daniel Jones issued a Local Disaster Declaration to assist in the food response.

This is a developing story and will be updated.