Maps show how heavy rainfall and rocky terrain helped create the devastating Texas floods that have killed more than 120 people.

The first weather emergency alert sent by the National Weather Service with urgent language instructing people to "seek higher ground now" was sent at 4:03 a.m. local time.

The July 4 Texas Hill Country flash flooding event is the latest to hit the region known as “Flash Flood Alley,” as Texas continues to lead the U.S. in flood-related deaths. The greatest number of flood deaths in the U.

Central Texas is infamous for its flash flooding and arid soil, hard-packed ground into which water does not easily infiltrate. So when rain hits the ground, it runs off the region's hilly terrain and canyons and accumulates into creeks and rivers rapidly, overwhelming them, causing them to rise quickly.

Q: Is it true that if President Donald Trump hadn’t defunded the National Weather Service, the death toll in the Texas flooding would have been far lower or nonexistent? A: The Trump administration did not defund the NWS but did reduce the staff by 600 people.

LONDON, July 11 (Xinhua) -- The catastrophic flash floods that struck central Texas on July 4 have become one of the deadliest natural disasters in U.S. history, claiming more than 100 lives and leaving over 160 people missing.

Trump was also quick to criticize the Federal Emergency Management Agency's response to both disasters, and as president, he has said he wants to "wean off" FEMA and phase out the agency in an effort to shift more responsibility for recovery to states.

Kerr County failed to secure a warning system, even as local officials remained aware of the risks and as billions of dollars were available for similar projects.

Weather model data shows the National Weather Service had reason to warn of higher flood risks. Still, meteorologists say the agency made reasonable predictions.