Texas County Officials Unavailable During Deadly July 4th Floods, Testimony Reveals

Officials' Absence During Flooding

• 📌 Kerr County officials testified at a state hearing regarding their response to the deadly July 4th floods.
• ⚠️ Emergency coordinator William Thomas stated he was home sick and asleep, only learning of the escalating situation hours after the Guadalupe River became a torrent.
• 🏠 County Judge Rob Kelly was at a lakehouse in another county, and Sheriff Larry Letha was sleeping as the storm raged.
• ❓ Lawmakers expressed shock that the three key officials responsible for sounding the alarm were effectively unavailable.

Community Reaction and Impact

• 💔 Residents expressed disbelief and anguish upon hearing that the officials were unavailable during the crisis.
• 💬 One resident questioned why officials were not present, recalling the fear of not being able to pick up her daughter from camp.
• 😔 The floods resulted in the deaths of 108 people in Kerr County, including 27 campers and counselors from Camp Mystic.
• 🔍 Two people, including a camper, remain unaccounted for one month after the flooding.