Rescuers aboard boats and helicopters saved dozens of stranded drivers and people trapped in homes from catastrophic flash floods in Texas in areas still reeling from devastating floods a year ago.At least two people were dead, Gov. Greg Abbott said, adding that it appeared many of the summer camps hit hard last year were not in danger. "Our number one focus is saving lives," he said.After days of pounding rain, the National Weather Service said a "large and deadly flood wave" barrelled down the same river wrecked by flash floods last summer when two dozen children and counselors were killed at Camp Mystic.Much like last year, the floods came in the middle of the night. But this time, some residents in the Texas Hill Country said they received more warnings.Forecasters urgently warned people to "move to higher ground now!" as rivers rose hour by hour, turning them into fast-moving seas of white water. Some spots of the Guadalupe River rose by more than nine metres.Flooding blocks off a road in Kerrville, Texas, on Thursday. (Joel Angel Juarez/The Associated Press)The governor said more than 1,300 first responders were deployed and had rescued well over 70 people.As much as 74 centimetres of rain fell over the past three days in Uvalde County, which was spared from the worst flooding a year ago, the weather service said Thursday. Other areas saw roughly a foot of rain with more expected going into Friday."This is hopefully the last real batch of rain," said Jason Runyen, a meteorologist with the weather service.Victim was swept awayWhile authorities have not released the names of the people who died, Jennie Steward said the body of her husband, 65-year-old John Mark Steward, of Kerrville, was found Thursday.She was visiting her parents when a neighbour called overnight, saying her husband was missing after water had risen to the door of their mobile home, which stood about 2.4 metres off the ground.Flooding shuts down parts of Yellowhead Trail for second time in a week: policeThe entire home was swept off the platform and floated down Goat Creek on the Guadalupe River, she said."It's really hard that I wasn't there with him," she said. The two were married three years ago, she said, and last spoke by phone Wednesday to celebrate their anniversary.Residents say they were better preparedThe unfolding crisis brought back haunting memories of last summer's unimaginable Hill Country floods that killed more than 100 people over the July Fourth holiday."It's crazy happening two times in one year," said Josiah Rodriguez, who awoke to the sound of heavy rain around 2 a.m. Thursday in Kerrville. He navigated flooded roads to help evacuate relatives."Last year there was no warning of it," he said. "It just kind of happened overnight and it took everyone by surprise. This year, a lot more alerts have gone into place, a lot more safety measures."A helicopter flies over the Guadalupe River as floods pass through the area in Kerrville, Texas, on Thursday. (Joel Angel Juarez/The Associated Press)Residents said they were caught off guard a year ago and didn't receive any warning when floods overtopped the Guadalupe. Some local leaders were criticized for not acting quickly enough.The storms and flooding this time threatened multiple counties close to the Mexico border and in the Hill Country near San Antonio. Roughly six million residents across Texas were under a flood watch this week, and some were expected to remain in effect through Friday evening.She had 'enhanced' flood coverage, but her insurer still denied her claimSeveral agencies sent rescue helicopters to the flood zone, including Travis County in the state capital of Austin."My understanding is people were mostly trapped in trees and on rooftops," said Travis County Judge Andy Brown, who said one caller warned that 10 people were trapped on a barn roof.Rush to higher groundAt a wild animal rescue, Katie Buck evacuated several dozen animals to higher ground in the dark Thursday as the normally dry Lazy Creek overflowed. She had to quickly grab a porcupine despite having no gloves.She got all of the animals to safety, but flooding destroyed several enclosures at the Buck Wild Animal Rescue and Wildlife Rehab near Ingram in Kerr County."We were just starting to get back on our feet again," Buck said. "To have to go through this again is just devastating."A person stands near a car as floodwaters flow over a road in Center Point, Texas, on Thursday. (Joel Angel Juarez/The Associated Press)Residents at an RV park in Comfort moved their trailers as sirens sounded, said manager Duke Earwood.Water rose over the hoods of vehicles parked near the river at the Comfort RV Resort. Markers showed the flooding already matched last July's big flood."Too familiar for sure, and too soon," Earwood said.Uvalde residents isolatedFloodwaters also overran the city of Uvalde overnight, cutting off most outside routes. The Leona River, normally dry most of the year, filled streets with water."People really can't get anywhere," said Carmen Rodriguez, who nervously watched water engulf her neighbourhood as a helicopter roared overhead. "We have a place to go, but all the streets are closed."VideoThe Breakdown | Camp Mystic flood devastation + Flood survivalRodriguez said authorities seemed to be well prepared, ordering mandatory evacuations and notifying people directly.Texas Game Wardens rescued more than 40 people, mostly in the Uvalde County area, according to a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department spokesperson.2025 was record yearSo far, the heavily swollen Guadalupe has remained below the record levels reached in 2025. Gauges showed it rose by more than nine metres in some spots over just a few hours.Close to Camp Mystic, which hasn't reopened since last year's tragedy, the Guadalupe reached about 6.3 metres, which is enough to cause flooding, according to U.S. Geological Survey and National Water Prediction Service data.In Kerr County, where summer camps dot the river's shores, the sheriff's office said all campers were safe. Several camps said the children were staying inside, with one camp reporting normal flooding.Affected towns were still rebuildingWhile the water didn't rise as high as a year ago in Ingram, Mayor Claud Jordan believes this round of flooding was more widespread in his city. "The rural part of Ingram, all the roads are just trashed," he said."There are a bunch of businesses that haven't reopened from last year," Jordan said. "This doesn't help."The Hill Country is especially prone to flash floods because the area's signature limestone is covered by just a thin layer of soil. During heavy rains, water can quickly shoot downhill before filling the narrow river basins.