Full Notification

Sonora, Texas – At approximately 5:00 a.m. this morning, the Sutton County Sheriff’s Office received an emergency call requesting assistance for a resident whose home was rapidly flooding. Emergency personnel from the Sonora Volunteer Fire Department and other local responders quickly responded to the scene and successfully rescued the individual from her home.

During the course of the morning, a total of three water rescues were conducted by local emergency teams. In response to the ongoing flooding, an evacuation alert was issued for residents in the affected areas throughout Sonora.

The Sutton County Emergency Operations and City of Sonora Emergency Management immediately activated their joint operations and began coordinating additional emergency resources to safeguard the community. The following agencies and departments joined together in the emergency response:

• Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM)
• Texas Task Force One, including Swift Water Rescue teams and boats deployed from Hurst, Texas, and El Paso, Texas
• Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
• Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD)
• Edwards County Emergency Management
• Sutton County Sheriff’s Office
• Sonora Police Department
• Sonora Volunteer Fire Department
• Sutton County Road & Bridge Department
• City of Sonora Public Works and Emergency Staff

A Unified Command Post and Emergency Operations Center (EOC) was established early this morning at the Sutton County Sheriff’s Office to manage rescue operations and emergency coordination.

In response to the situation, Sutton County Emergency Operations has opened a temporary shelter.  Evacuated citizens were allowed to stay at the Sutton County Civic Center.  Approximately 20 individuals stayed at the Civic Center until they could return safely to their homes.  The shelter closed at about 1:00 P.M.

The EOC was officially demobilized at approximately 3:00 p.m. after weather conditions began to stabilize and immediate threats subsided.
Sutton County Judge Joseph Harris and Sonora Mayor Juanita Gomez extend their heartfelt gratitude to all first responders (both local and from across the state) who answered the call and provided critical assistance during this event.

“We are grateful to report that, as of this time, no fatalities or injuries have been reported.  We are grateful for all the assistance Sonora received from other area first responders”  City of Sonora Mayor Juanita Gomez

Both Harris and Gomez have issued their own local emergency disaster declarations. Early reports indicate that some homes in Sonora sustained flood damage. Currently, the extent of damage is still being assessed.

Important Information for Citizens:
Residents who experienced flood-related damage to their homes or property are strongly encouraged to self-report through the Texas Division of Emergency Management’s ISTAT Damage Assessment Portal. This information helps determine eligibility for future state or federal assistance.

To report damage, visit:   https://damage.tdem.texas.gov

We also urge all residents to sign up for emergency alerts through our Nixle notification system to stay informed about ongoing or future emergency events.

Text your ZIP code to 888777 to register for alerts.

The City of Sonora and Sutton County will continue to monitor the situation closely and issue updates as needed.