The July 4 flash floods in Texas killed at least 136 people and displaced countless others, yet all key leading officials from Kerr County, one of the hardest hit, were absent from the emergency briefing call held beforehand.
Rebekah Riess, Shimon Prokupecz, Rachel Clarke and Alaa Elassar, in an article for CNN, look at the aftermath of unclear communications and missing protocols.
Travis County also felt the absence of key communication channels with the absence of a National Weather Service position that has remained unfilled for four months.
Residents reflect on their experiences and call for better flood alert systems and prioritized mental health care.
Read on to learn more.
Source: https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/31/us/texas-flooding-hearing-testimony
