AUSTIN, Texas — Heavy rains in central and south Texas led to a frightening scene for a couple rescued by helicopter Thursday after their SUV was swept away by floodwaters and left them clinging to trees for hours.

The National Weather Service said more than a foot of rain fell in central Texas, including up to 14 inches in Wimberley, since rainstorms began Wednesday.

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Fire rescuers go through a neighborhood in search of anyone in need in Austin, Texas, on Thursday, after heavy overnight rains brought flooding to the area. The Associated Press

“It looks to be one of the worst areas with the heaviest rainfall totals,” meteorologist Steve Smart said as storms began moving to the east Thursday.

The storm system stretches from the Great Lakes to the Gulf Coast and carries heavy rain and strong winds. In Texas, Houston motorists also were slowed Thursday morning by heavy rain, which caused flooding in some areas.

Austin and its surrounding communities saw numerous rescues, officials said, but none like that in Buda, about 10 miles south of the capital city.

Around 4 a.m. Thursday, emergency personnel received calls from people living near Little Bear Creek about somebody screaming for help, Buda Fire Chief Clay Huckaby said.

Rescuers spotted a man and his girlfriend in trees about 200 yards downstream from the road they’d been driving their SUV on, he said.

“The water was over the road by about 15 feet by the time we arrived at the scene. They were about 10 feet above the water line hanging from trees,” Huckaby said.

Fire Capt. Craig Odell said rescuers encouraged the pair to “hang on” until the helicopter arrived, because firefighters on land couldn’t reach them and all available boats were being used for other water rescues.

The man and woman, whose names were not released, estimated they were in the water for about four hours before a rescuer was lowered in a harness and hoisted them to safety, Odell said.

“They’re definitely very lucky,” Odell said. Both victims were transported to a hospital, suffering from lacerations and hypothermia. The man also broke his nose, Odell said.

In Austin, Sabrina Loyless was awakened around 5 a.m. by her neighbors screaming for help. The 30-year-old tried to wade across the street, but things got worse.

“When I got about halfway across the road, I realized how bad an idea it was,” said Loyless, who hours later was wrapped in a firefighter’s blanket and waiting for the water to recede enough to get back into her home. Many people also evacuated from their homes in the area.

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