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San Antonio City Council members call for state, county support after deadly Perrin Beitel Road flood

Jalen McKee-Rodriguez, alongside Marc Whyte, said that San Antonio is incapable of making improvements to the primarily affected area on its own

Fifteen cars were found submerged in water near the Briar Glen Trailhead off Perrin Beitel Road. Police believe they floated there after being caught up in floodwaters about a half mile away. (Katrina Webber, Copyright 2024 by KSAT - All rights reserved.)

SAN ANTONIO – District 2 council member Jalen McKee-Rodriguez and District 10 council member Marc Whyte took to Instagram to address the deadly floods in the Perrin Beitel Road area.

“We want to begin today by offering our deepest condolences today to every family impacted by the devastating flooding that took place on June 12,” Whyte said.

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Whyte noted that the Perrin Beitel Road area is directly on the border of District 2 and District 10.

In the area, 11 people were found dead, 10 were rescued from trees and bushes and two escaped on their own after the floodwaters swept through.

“While our city and state entities have launched an investigation into the cause of the flooding, this profound tragedy is a demonstration of why commitment to equitable investment in our community matters, particularly as we continue to face the effects of the growing climate crisis,” McKee-Rodriguez said.

McKee-Rodriguez said that as San Antonio continues to expand, the need for drainage and infrastructure improvements also grows, especially in the city’s “most vulnerable communities.”

He said that the City of San Antonio is not capable of making these improvements on its own.

“We continue to call on Bexar County and the state of Texas to join us in this effort,” said McKee-Rodriguez. “To that end, the city and county have issued a local disaster declaration formally requesting assistance from Governor Greg Abbott due to the extensive damage sustained in the area.”

To improve infrastructure, including drainage and flood mitigation, McKee-Rodriguez said that it requires investment across all levels of government.

“As we look at city budget discussions, basic infrastructure, including drainage and flood mitigation, should be on our priorities and they should always come at the top of our list,” Whyte said.

Whyte added that the city’s infrastructure should be able to protect residents year-round, not just in times of crisis.

“We owe it to the families who lost everything on June 12th to build a city where this doesn’t happen again,” said McKee-Rodriguez. “That work starts now.”


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