Kerr County lacked ‘last mile’ warning to get NWS alerts to residents before Texas flash floods

Published July 7, 2025 3:13pm ET



Kerr County, Texas, lacked a “last mile” warning mechanism that could have saved residents before the deadly floods devastated the area, including a children’s summer camp, killing more than 80 people.

The county received multiple weather alerts before the water rose on Friday, but the county is not equipped with a siren system that could have woken up residents who were sleeping during the storm and did not see the National Weather Service alerts on their electronic devices.

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