Flash Flood in Hidalgo County, Texas

Torrential rains moved out from the McAllen/metro into the mid-Valley section of Hidalgo County, to include locations east of Edinburg, including Elsa/Edcouch, then south through San Juan, Alamo, and Donna, extending south to around Military Highway (US 281) east of Pharr and near the Rio Grande.||Poor drainage locations flooded with at least 3 feet of water depth, and nearly the entire IH-2 frontage road had 2 to 3 or more feet of water depth, with dozens of vehicles stranded and at least one hundred more removed from the floodwaters. A number of farm-to-market and state highways had pockets of flood waters, forcing closures that lasted into March 28th. ||In this flood area, there were three known drownings when vehicles became submerged in deeper waters in canals/drainage areas during encounters with law enforcement. One drowning was a juvenile who was unable to be rescued from a vehicle that submerged near Edcouch.||Damage details and further information will be available later in 2025 from these areas.

After hours of rainfall the nuisance flooding became a flash flood. Several inches to at least a foot of water rose into homes in the Las Brisas subdivision on the east side of town, with three to five feet of water on neighborhood streets. At least three feet of water submerged vehicles along the frontage roads between the Westgate and Airport Road exits during the peak of the flash flooding. Additional high water closed portions of FM 1015 between Weslaco and Progresso (which also had flash flooding of unknown depth)and FM 493 near Donna. At least 26 separate boat rescues were made in flooded neighborhoods and more than 500 homes were impacted by some level of floodwater.

Numerous roads were closed in east Edinburg and the surrounding colonias, including San Carlos, as 6 to 18 inches of water covered roadways. Numerous vehicles became stalled in the waters. Water entered numerous homes and businesses. City of Edinburg officials reported that nearly 50 people had to be evacuated due to flood waters. According to City of Edinburg officials, preliminary damage estimates totaled about $23 million. An estimated 510 homes sustained damage, 225 incurred major damage and 285 incurred minor damage, for an estimated total of $18.5 million. 25 businesses sustained some damage and approximately $4.5 million in road infrastructure damage was sustained, including potholes and washed away roads.