Local officials in Texas said Tuesday that they could not answer key questions about how prepared they were for the mortal floods that attacked the area on Friday, including how and when the County emergency manager responded.
The National Meteorological Service issued a sudden flood warning for Kerr County, where the Guadalupe River is located and the vast majority of deaths, at 1:14 am on Friday.
Kerr County Sheriff, Larry Leitha, told journalists on Tuesday that he was first notified about floods “around 4 [a.m.] to 5 [a.m.] Area, “when the calls arrived at 911.
The vehicles are stuck in debris near the Guadalupe River, on July 7, 2025 in Hunt, Texas.
Brandon Bell/Getty images
“One of my sergeants was in the office when the first calls began to enter,” he told reporters.
However, when it was pressed to give more details about a timeline, the Sheriff said it would take more details.
“It was between 4 and 5 [a.m.] When they notified me, but before that in that area 3 to 4, my understanding is … “Leitha said, before stopping without completing his sentence, adding that the officials were” trying to obtain the process of trying to put a timeline. “
“As I told you several times, that is not my priority at this time,” he added.
In the days elapsed since mortal floods, state and local officials have said they remain in a search and rescue operation. Hundreds of lifeguards remained along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County on Tuesday “working to gather families,” Leitha said.
Until Tuesday, the death toll had increased to 110, and Governor Greg Abbott said at least 173 people were still missing throughout the state.
The governor said that the Texas National Guard is helping local authorities to look for the disappeared, and that helicopters and drones are also being used in search efforts.
When ABC News asked Leitha if the emergency manager, who has not been identified, was awake at that time or pushed the sudden flood alerts, the Sheriff commented: “I can’t tell him right now.”
The rubble are found along the Guadalupe River after it was swept on sudden floods, on July 8, 2025 in Ingram, Texas.
Jim Vondruska/Getty Images
Other reporters asked similar questions about who was on duty and when they were notified, but the officials refused to answer and soon changed to another issue before finishing the press conference.
“We will get answers. At this time, all our resources focus on recovery,” Lieutenant Colonel Ben Baker, deputy director of application of the Texas Parks Law & Wildlife Department.
Some other Texas officials said the community should have been more prepared when it hit the storm.
“There should have been sirens here,” Texas Lieutenant said on Monday, Governor Dan Patrick, Fox News.
