Search for answers after Texas’ deadly floods brings lawmakers to devastated Hill Country

KERRVILLE, Texas (AP) — Texas lawmakers will take their search for answers following the deadly July 4 floods to the heart of the devastation in Kerr County, where local officials were expected to face questions over their response to the disaster that swept away homes and campers along the Guadalupe River.

The hearing Thursday is the first time a panel of lawmakers is visiting the hard-hit Texas Hill Country since the floods, which killed at least 136 people. Most were in Kerr County, including 27 young campers and counselors at Camp Mystic, an all-girls summer camp.

Among those invited to testify were local leaders who have defended their preparations and response to the fast-rising waters. Residents will also be given the chance to address lawmakers.

The hearing comes as authorities have begun publicly releasing records and audio — including 911 calls — that have provided new glimpses into the escalating danger and chaos in the early hours of the July Fourth holiday. They include panicked and confused messages from residents caught in trees as well as families fleeing with children from homes with water creeping up to the knees.

“People are dying,” one woman tells a 911 operator in call logs released by nearby Kendall County. She says she had a young relative at a church camp in Kerr County who was stranded along with his classmates because of the high waters.

“I don’t want them to get stuck in a low-water crossing. And what are they going to do? They have like 30 kids,” the woman says.

Kerr County officials have denied several Texas Public of Information requests filed by The Associated Press for 911 calls and body-camera footage related to the floods.

Lawmakers have had to address flood relief amid a busy 30-day legislative special session that has included a highly-partisan sprint by Republicans to redraw the state’s maps to pick up five more seats in the U.S. House.

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott added flood relief and disaster preparedness to the agenda items shortly after calling a special session in June. He also included redrawing the state’s maps after receiving pressure from President Donald Trump, who has said he wants Texas Republicans to squeeze five additional seats.

House Democrats have launched a series of protests that have involved fleeing the state to meet with Democratic governors to try and stop Republican redistricting. As the minority party in both chambers, the caucus has few options and lawmakers face up to $500 a day for walking out after they broke a quorum in 2021. Party leaders have said they will not engage in other legislative business until the legislature addresses flood relief.

Lawmakers have filed bills to provide funding for early warning systems, improve emergency communications and strengthen flood infrastructure in flood-prone areas.

Residents along the Guadalupe River have said they were caught off guard and had no warning when rainfall struck. Kerr County does not have a warning system along the river after several missed opportunities by state and local agencies to finance one.

Abbott and Texas Republicans have signaled no appetite for assigning blame for the disaster or second-guessing decisions by local officials, who have described the scale of the disaster as one that no one could have saw coming.

At the first hearing by Texas lawmakers this month, Texas’ chief emergency management official called for better accreditation for county response officials. Democrats, meanwhile, have questioned if officials had done enough to provide sufficient infrastructure for flood-prone areas in rural counties.

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Lathan is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.