Texas, Kerr County
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Texas, flood
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The Texas Tribune on MSNWeather warnings gave officials a 3 hour, 21 minute window to save lives in Kerr County. What happened then remains unclear.Federal forecasters issued their first flood warning at 1:14 a.m. on July 4. Local officials haven’t shed light on when they saw the warnings.
Since 2016, the topic of a "flood warning system" for Kerr County has come up at 20 different county commissioners' meetings, according to minutes. The idea for a system was first introduced by Kerr County Commissioner Thomas Moser and Emergency Management Coordinator Dub Thomas in March 2016.
Kerr County is looking at how much warning was given before the flood and how to prevent the next disaster, while donations pour in for flood victims.
Nearly a week after deadly floods struck Central Texas, search and rescue teams are continuing to probe debris for those still missing.
Residents say Kerr County’s use of CodeRED alerts was sporadic and inconsistent. Local officials have not answered questions about when and how they utilized the system, which has been in place since 2009.
More than 100 people have been confirmed dead since July 4, when the Guadalupe River in central Texas swelled overnight and triggered flash floods that swept through an area known locally as “Flash Flood Alley.