Was there a warning? USA TODAY answers your questions about Texas floods.
As of Tuesday morning, the death toll is up to at least 109, including at least 27 children and counselors from Camp Mystic, a girls Christian camp in Kerrs County, which is about 90 miles northwest of San Antonio.
Flooding ravaged the area after rainfall overwhelmed the Guadalupe River on July 4, surging over 26 feet in less than an hour, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said.
USA TODAY is answering frequently asked reader questions about the flooding. Have a question? Submit it here and check back for updates.
Live updates: Over 100 dead in Texas floods; 5 Mystic campers, 1 counselor remain missing
Was there a flash flood warning?
Officials noted the possibility of flash flooding in the area in news releases as early as July 2.
On July 3 around 1:15 p.m., the National Weather Service's Austin office issued a flash flood watch for eight counties, including Kerr.
On July 4 at 1:18 a.m., it was upgraded to a flash flood warning, which triggers cell phone alerts to residents in the area.
At 4:03 a.m., the NWS Austin office put out a 'flash flood emergency' bulletin: 'This is a FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY for South-central Kerr County, including Hunt. This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. SEEK HIGHER GROUND NOW!'
But the alerts provided little time to act for those who had gone to sleep that night unaware of the threat.
Texas flash flood warning timeline: Warnings for deadly Texas flash flooding came with little time to act
Where is Camp Mystic on a map? Is it in a flood zone?
Camp Mystic for Girls is a Christian camp in Kerr County, Texas. It's located within Texas Hill Country, a region of central Texas named for its grassy and rolling hills, and known as an especially flood-prone area.
The original camp, which was founded in 1926, sits alongside the Guadalupe River, and a second camp opened in 2020 near Cypress Lake.
According to data from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the camp's Guadalupe River campus is within a high-risk flood area.
However, flooding can happen anywhere in Texas, including areas not considered to be in a high-risk zone, according to the Texas Water Development Board.
Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said at a news conference that officials "didn't know this flood was coming."
"We had no reason to believe this was going to be anything like what's happened here. None whatsoever," Kelly said.
How many people are still unaccounted for in Texas flooding?
Forecasters said central Texas could still be hit with isolated showers and storms on Tuesday, and relief to flood-ravaged areas will come later in the week.
First responders and volunteers continued search efforts Tuesday.
As of Sunday afternoon, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said at least 41 people were missing across the state, but with people camping throughout the holiday weekend, that number may be higher.
Among those at Camp Mystic, five campers and one counselor are still unaccounted for as of Tuesday.
Did NOAA staffing cuts affect warning timing?
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which oversees the National Weather Service, has faced recent budget cuts leading to staffing vacancies.
In the immediate aftermath of the Texas flooding, many were quick to point blame about the lack of advanced notice for the deadly event.
'The National Weather Service office did everything they should do from everything I can tell,' Jeff Masters, co-founder of Weather Underground, a commercial forecasting agency, and a former hurricane scientist with the NOAA Hurricane Hunters, previously told USA TODAY.
Masters noted "how important it is to have talented, experienced people at a well-funded National Weather Service," but added, 'we are pushing our luck if we think the cuts at NOAA won't cause a breakdown in our ability to get people out of harm's way in the future.' Read more here.
How to help those affected by the Texas flooding
Those looking to help Texans impacted by flooding can donate to several relief organizations.
The Red Cross, which is assisting with on ground response efforts, is taking donations on its website.
The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country started a Kerr County Flood Relief Fund, which will provide aid to organizations in the area that are assisting rescue, relief and recovery operations as well as flood assistance. Donations can be made online.
Read about more ways to help here.
Submit a question
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Contributing: Jeanine Santucci, Rick Jervis, Kathryn Palmer, Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY
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