SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio experienced historic and catastrophic flooding on Thursday, with several people dead after their vehicles were swept away by high water.
One area in particular — Perrin Beitel and Loop 410 on the Northeast Side — was hit particularly hard.
>> 11 confirmed dead from Thursday’s storms in San Antonio, SAFD says
According to the San Antonio Fire Department, 15 vehicles were swept away from the Loop 410 access road into Beitel Creek below.
Ten people were rescued from trees and bushes approximately one mile from where they entered the water.
As of 3:30 p.m. Friday, 11 people have been found dead and several remain unaccounted for.
All the deceased victims were found in the Salado Creek area, which Beitel Creek flows into.
For longtime San Antonio residents, catastrophic flooding at that exact location might feel like déjà vu.
A KSAT viewer reminded us that this spot was severely affected during the 1998 flood in San Antonio. At that time, cars were washed away from a convenience store parking lot down into the creek.
We compiled KSAT’s footage of the 1998 flood into a documentary, unaware that we would witness the same tragic scene this week.
While reviewing the documentary Friday, KSAT encountered a man raising a significant complaint — the very same issue we’re hearing from communities nearly three decades later.
One person on social media asked why the city is looking to spend millions on Project Marvel and a downtown sports and entertainment project, when the money could be used for upgraded drainage systems.
KSAT reached out to city councilmembers for the districts in this specific area on the Northeast Side to ask about their priorities for investment, considering the city is looking at a $220-$250 million bond to make Project Marvel happen.
The area of Perrin Beitel and Loop 410 straddles Districts 2 and 10.
District 2 Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez released the following statement in response to the flooding:
“This profound tragedy is a demonstration of why a commitment to equitable investment in our community matters. San Antonio continues to have great infrastructure need, but it’s clear the city cannot do it on our own and we’re going to need greater investment from the county, state and federal government if we’re ever going to meet that need.
We are a community at great risk of natural disasters, and it’s unclear how this could have been prevented. What matters most is that lives have been lost and as a community we need to evaluate our priorities. Climate crisis disasters will continue to impact us all, and I call all of us as a community to consider our collective future and what sustainable investments need to be made.
As I’ve stated many, many times: our priority focus must be on the needs of our most vulnerable residents and communities."
District 10 Councilman Marc Whyte told KSAT that the city’s infrastructure needs an upgrade.
“San Antonio has old pipes, poor streets, and insufficient drainage systems in many parts of the city,” Whyte said in a statement, in part. “We must continue to invest in our city’s infrastructure rather than spending money on various ‘feel good’ programs and projects.”
Whyte said it’s unknown if anything could have prevented the tragedy, as flash flooding can happen in an instant. However, he said, “ensuring our drainage and other infrastructure systems are as good as they can be should be a priority for our city’s government.”
“While Project Marvel could be great for our city if done properly and in a fiscally responsible manner, in no event should the project move forward at the expense of the day to day infrastructure needs in the rest of the city,” he said. “Our citizens daily quality of life should always come first, and our people expect and should be able to rely upon a fully functional and up to date city infrastructure.”
Precinct 4 Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Calvert also released a statement after the catastrophic flooding in San Antonio:
“I am heartbroken by the tragic loss of life that occurred this morning near Perrin-Beitel and Loop 410. My thoughts and prayers are with the families grieving their loved ones, and my deepest sympathies go out to the entire community shaken by this devastating event.
No one in Bexar County should lose their life simply trying to get to work or home. As our climate changes and storms become more severe and unpredictable, this tragedy is a stark reminder that we must act with urgency and common sense to improve the safety of our roads and waterways.
Since taking office, I’ve fought for stronger investments in flood control infrastructure—including drainage improvements and HALT (High Water Alert Lifesaving Technology) arms—to prevent exactly this kind of loss. We must expand these protections countywide, particularly in known flood-prone corridors like the one where today’s disaster unfolded.
Now is the time for bold and practical action. I am renewing my call for comprehensive, forward-looking infrastructure investments across Bexar County. We must prioritize modernizing our drainage systems, expanding HALT technology, and ensuring that flood mitigation is not an afterthought, but a cornerstone of public safety.
Let this moment strengthen our resolve to build a safer future—one where tragedies like this are not repeated."
