Texas officials involved in the deadly Kerr County flood response testified to lawmakers Thursday about the many failures made during the tragedy.
In the early morning of July 4, the Guadalupe River rose around 26 feet, causing flash floods that killed more than 100 people, including 28 children. More remain missing. As the disaster unfolded, the county’s top official was nowhere to be found. Another official said he was sick and asleep.
William B. Thomas IV, the county’s emergency management coordinator, testified that he was sleeping off an illness as floodwaters rose.
“I stayed in bed throughout July 3 and did not participate in the regularly scheduled 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Texas Emergency Management Coordination Center coordination calls,” Thomas testified.
Thomas said his supervisors knew he was off that day, and said he slept most of July 3. At around 2 p.m., Thomas said he went back to sleep until his wife woke him at 5:30 a.m. on July 4 to alert him about the floods.
