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FM 481 bridge collapse
A bridge on Farm-to-Market Road 481 collapsed in Uvalde County after severe flooding along the Nueces River, with the Texas Department of Public Safety South Texas Region saying the collapse happened around Friday morning, July 17.
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The Texas Department of Public Safety reported that the Farm to Market 481 bridge collapsed due to severe flooding, and aerial images from the department’s Aircraft Operations Division showed the bridge missing a large section of roadway.
The Texas Department of Public Safety also said the river’s flow followed heavy rainfall, with the Departamento de Seguridad Pública de Texas reporting that the structure ceded after the river accumulated approximately 20 inches of rain in some sectors of the county.
In Uvalde, more than 40 people were rescued as search and rescue crews continued their efforts across the county, where roads had access points cut off by flood damage.
The Texas Department of Public Safety urged residents to stay away from flooded areas and to obey all road closures, and the Uvalde Police Department urged residents of the Chalk Bluff community to evacuate voluntarily.
Warnings and emergency posture
The Texas Department of Public Safety instructed drivers to stay away from flooded areas, obey all road closures, and never drive around barricades, emphasizing that the bridge collapse came as search and rescue crews continued across the county.
In a Facebook post, the Uvalde Police Department told residents of the Chalk Bluff community, "Please prioritize your safety and be prepared to leave quickly if conditions worsen," as the department urged voluntary evacuation.
In a separate emergency-response escalation described by FOX 7 Austin, Gov. Greg Abbott said, "We are dealing with and responding to a flood that is likely going to break records in Texas history," as the state engaged its emergency response machinery.
FOX 7 Austin reported that more than 1,300 personnel across 30 different state agencies were activated, and it quoted Maj. Gen. Thomas Suelzer saying, "The Texas Military Department is postured to support this storm response with 10 helicopters, over 750 personnel, and 100 military vehicles."
Detours, closures, and risk
The bridge collapse cut the Uvalde–Eagle Pass connection by destroying part of the FM 481 crossing southwest of Uvalde, and Texas Public Radio said the closure eliminated an important rural connection used by residents, ranchers, agricultural workers and commercial traffic.
“UVALDE, Texas – A bridge in Uvalde County has collapsed after high floodwaters overwhelmed the FM 481 crossing, according to an aerial image released by the Texas Department of Public Safety”
Texas Public Radio reported that U.S. 90 through Uvalde reopened after flooding temporarily closed the major east-west highway, but it said numerous roads remain closed or damaged and that TxDOT had not announced a timetable for replacing the bridge.
The Texas Department of Public Safety recommended alternate routes, with Super Channel 12 stating that authorities warned travelers to use alternate routes into the interior of the state and toward the city of Uvalde, mainly via Routes 83 and 57.
In Kerr County, the National Weather Service extended a Flood Warning to the Guadalupe River at Hunt, forecasting a crest of 21.3 feet, and The Kerr County Lead reported that Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly declared a disaster for the county.
The Kerr County Lead also described how flooding stretched from Hunt to Center Point on Thursday, while power restoration was underway and Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr. declared a local state of disaster for the city and requested state and federal assistance from Gov. Greg Abbott.
