Texas floods latest update: Toll reaches 119, Kerr County Sheriff says ‘its not easy’

Briefing mediapersons over Texas floods, Kerr County Sheriff Larry L Leitha said the first flash flood notification came between 4 AM and 5 AM.

The Texas floods, which left over 100 people dead and thousands of others scrambling for safety, have sparked widespread discussions and scrutiny of the Donald Trump administration's cuts to the National Weather Service. In Kerr County, officials struggled to provide answers this week about their preparations and response to the devastating flood that swept through the Texas Hill Country last week.

People look on as law enforcement and volunteers continue to search for missing people near Camp Mystic (AFP)

According to The New York Times, at least 119 people were killed across the state, with the majority of deaths (95) reported in Kerr County. On Wednesday, officials said that 161 people were still missing in the county. In Texas, 173 people were unaccounted for, according to Governor Greg Abbott.

'Delayed' warnings

This week, officials in Kerr County provided an extensive account of their rescue efforts after the Guadalupe River rose early on July 4, claiming that hundreds of people were saved by the local crew. This came amid questioning over the lack of warning sirens as well as other disaster plans in the region.

On July 4, Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said that there was "no warning system" in the area.

Kerr County Sheriff Larry L Leitha was on Tuesday asked by media personnel about the critical hours between the first flash flood emergency alert at 1:14 am (local time) and when the water in the river started rising.

In reply, Leitha informed that the first notification came between 4 AM and 5 AM, adding that one of the sergeants was in dispatch when the first 911 calls started coming in.

The officials are currently trying to put a timeline together, and this will take a "little bit of time," Leitha said.

For now, Leitha said his three priorities are to locate the people out there, identify them, and notify next of kin.

Leitha was even asked whether the emergency manager was on duty and if the emergency alert was issued during the early hours or not.

To this, the Sheriff stated that it was "not that easy where you just push a button". He added that there was a "lot more to that."

Thereafter, Leitha was asked directly by a reporter whether the county’s emergency manager had issued an alert. Without answering, the sheriff simply said that he will "come back" on this and is "going nowhere”.

Within hours of the deluge, several officials in Texas were critical of the National Weather Service, claiming that its forecasts underestimated the rainfall.

Over the last weekend, US President Donald Trump rejected the idea of holding an investigation about whether cuts in the NWS left out key vacancies.

FAQs

1. How many people died in the Texas floods?

The toll has reached at least 119 statewide, while 173 people are still missing.

2. What to expect next?

More rainfall activity is expected in Texas, while the rising water remains a concern for ongoing recovery operations.

3. How many casualties were reported in other counties apart from Kerr?

At least seven people died in Travis County, eight in Kendall County, five in Burnet County, three and one in Williamson and Tom Green counties.