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200+ Rescued, 1 Dead in San Antonio Flood
A man photographs flood waters caused by heavy rains, Saturday, May 25, 2013, in San Antonio. Credit: AP

200+ Rescued, 1 Dead in San Antonio Flood

woman was trapped in her car, got on the roof and was swept away in floodwaters

SAN ANTONIO (TheBlaze/AP) -- The San Antonio Fire Department says it's rescued more than 200 people from homes and cars amid flooding that killed at least one person.

The massive flooding Saturday was caused by torrential rains in San Antonio. The Fire Department says it's conducted more than 235 water-related rescues.

A woman was trapped in her car, got on the roof and was swept away in floodwaters, said San Antonio Fire Department spokesman Christian Bove. Her body was later found against a fence, he said. Her name was not immediately released.

Flood Water Rising in San Antonio A man photographs flood waters caused by heavy rains, Saturday, May 25, 2013, in San Antonio. (Credit: AP)

"We'll be out there as long as daylight permits and again in the morning if the water recedes," San Antonio Fire Chief Charles Hood said, adding that going into floodwaters was more dangerous for firefighters than entering a burning building.

About 130 people were plucked from their homes and cars in the San Antonio area, many by first responders using inflatable boats, he said. The water was up to 4 feet high in some homes, Bove said.

Even a city bus was swept away, but firefighters on a boat were able to rescue the three passengers and driver early Saturday, public transit spokeswoman Priscilla Ingle said. Nobody was injured.

The San Antonio International Airport by Saturday afternoon had recorded 9.87 inches of rain since midnight, causing nearly all streams and rivers to experience extraordinary flooding. The highest amount of rainfall recorded since midnight was 15.5 inches at Olmos Creek at Dresden Drive.

Flood Water Rising in San Antonio A flood gage shows waters just under 10 feet at an intersection, Saturday, May 25, 2013, in San Antonio. (Credit: AP)

The National Weather Service called the region's flooding a life-threatening situation similar to what happened in October 1998. Up to 30 inches of rain fell in a two-day period, causing floods in the Guadalupe and San Antonio River basins that left more than 30 people dead, according to the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority. Parts of 19 counties received at least 8 inches of rain in that storm.

This footage from News 4 shows how widespread the flooding is:

Here's video of a rooftop rescue from KSAT-TV:

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This is a developing story. Updates will be added.

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