Two top officials in the Texas county where dozens died in catastrophic flooding over the 4 July holiday weekend were asleep - a third out of town - when disaster struck the region.
Emergency management coordinator William B Thomas and Sheriff Larry Leitha told Texas lawmakers at a hearing in Kerrville on Thursday that they were asleep when the flash floods hit overnight. Judge Rob Kelly, Kerr County's top executive, said he was out of town.
The downpour and flash flood killed at least 135 people in the state, while hundreds of others were forced to evacuate their homes.
Kerr County was the hardest hit, where at least 95 people - including those at the all-girls Camp Mystic - were killed.
In the wake of the deadly tragedy, officials were criticised and questioned over whether adequate warnings were provided and what top officials were doing.
