On Friday, San Antonio Fire Department officials reported more deaths have been confirmed at the location off Perrin Beitel and Austin Highway.
SAN ANTONIO — Officials confirmed the death toll has increased to 11 people after flash flooding early Thursday morning swept numerous cars off city roadways. Just five deaths had been reported through Thursday evening.
San Antonio Fire Department officials say they are looking for at least four more people who are unaccounted for in two areas: the Perrin Beitel at Austin Highway location, and another spot off U.S. Highway 90 and Callaghan Road.
SAFD officials said just after 5 a.m. Thursday at the Briar Glen Trailhead near Perrin Beitel and Austin Highway, the people in the cars that were swept away had been sitting in traffic due to a stalled car on a nearby road. That’s when the water suddenly came rushing in.
Fifteen cars were washed away, and 11 people were rescued, San Antonio Police Department Chief William McManus said.
Three of the people killed at the Perrin Beitel location have been identified. They include Martha De La Torre Rangel, 55, Victor Manuel Macias Castro, 28, and Matthew Angel Tufono, 51.
Officials said all of the deaths reported so far occurred at the Perrin Beitel location.
On another side of town, crews responded to U.S. Highway 90 and Callaghan Road just after 3 p.m. Thursday after high water was reported in the area. At least one man, Derwin Anderson, was missing from that area, according to family members. Crews had to end the search around 8:45 p.m. Thursday as conditions grew too dark and unsafe.
Dozens of people were rescued from the intense flood waters Thursday. From midnight through 4:45 p.m. Thursday, the fire department said they responded to 70 calls for rescues and 16 others for “high-water investigations.”