Texas Leaders Under Fire Over Delayed Response to Floods
(MENAFN) Officials in Texas are facing mounting scrutiny over their delayed response to a catastrophic flash flood that has left more than 100 people dead and at least 161 unaccounted for, media outlets reported Tuesday.
In the early morning hours of July 4, the Guadalupe River surged upward by 26 feet (7.9 meters) in just 45 minutes, overwhelming the region with little notice. Four days later, Kerr County officials have yet to confirm whether timely evacuation alerts were issued before the deadly waters struck.
“We’re in the process of trying to put a timeline, that’s going to take a little bit of time,” Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said during a Tuesday press conference, emphasizing that the immediate focus remains on recovery operations and family notifications.
The disaster claimed the lives of 87 people attending a riverside summer camp—57 adults and 30 children—highlighting the flood’s devastating toll.
Anger is growing among residents who say they received no emergency notifications that could have prompted them to flee.
“I didn’t get one alert,” said Marvin Willis, a resident living just 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) from the river.
Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring said he only became aware of the unfolding disaster when the city manager called him at 5:30 a.m. local time (0830 GMT).
No Warning Sirens in Kerr County
Although the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning at 1:14 a.m. (0414 GMT), it remains unclear which local emergency officials, if any, were actively monitoring those alerts as the river rapidly rose.
Kerr County lacks the outdoor warning sirens that neighboring towns use for emergencies, raising further concerns. Cell phone coverage issues, combined with restrictions on mobile devices at the summer camp, created additional barriers to receiving alerts.
County Emergency Coordinator W.B. “Dub” Thomas has not issued a public statement, and officials have not confirmed whether he was involved during the critical first hours of the flood.
Meanwhile, media outlets have highlighted staffing gaps at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), noting that a wave of resignations under pressure from the Trump administration—followed by a hiring freeze—left key roles unfilled, including a seasoned communications coordinator.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott reaffirmed the state’s priority remains finding those still missing.
“You’d have to ask them,” he said when asked what local authorities knew during the initial hours of the emergency.
Some residents believe the messaging lacked the clarity and urgency needed to spur action.
“If they had said there’s a wall of water coming or evacuate,” said Hunt resident Rena Bailey, “but I didn’t take it that way.”
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