Kerrville, Texas hill country and Flash flood
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Texas officials face questions over who monitored weather and warned of floodwaters heading toward camps and homes.
Sunday is a day of prayer across Texas. But as many filed into churches, first responders and volunteers filed into Kerr County, holding out up in their search and rescue efforts.
The Odessa American is the leading source of local news, information, entertainment and sports for the Permian Basin.
The search and rescue efforts are intensifying for more than 160 people who remain missing days after flash floods killed more than 100 people in central Texas. New satellite imagery collected on July 8 shows the aftermath of the devastating flood along the Guadalupe River that swept through the area near Hunt and Kerrville, Texas.
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A major flood event also struck the Texas Hill Country in July of 1987 after a series of 17 thunderstorms moved slowly, in succession, over the headwaters of the Guadalupe River in Kerr County. Anywhere from 5 to 10 inches of rain fell on the flood-prone areas, now deemed “Flash Flood Alley,” according to a National Weather Service report.
Many Texans are still searching for loved ones and answers following the catastrophic flooding event over the weekend. Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring, Jr. joins Katy Tur to share how his community will “come up with a plan” to prevent this kind of event from happening again.
Robert Earl Keen has a personal connection to Kerrville, TX, the site of massive flooding on July 4 that authorities say resulted in the deaths of 111 people, with nearly 170 still unaccounted for at press time.
State Rep. Wes Virdell, whose district includes Kerr County, voted against House Bill 13 earlier this year. The bill would have funded a statewide rural alert system. But after spending the weekend assisting in disaster zones caused by the floods, the state rep voiced a change of heart, per the Texas Tribune .