In Texas, Lives Lost After County Decided Against Flood Warning System

Flooding caused by a flash flood at the Guadalupe River in Kerrville, Texas, on July 5, 2025. Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images

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In the early morning of July 4, a flash flood emergency was issued for Austin and San Antonio by the National Weather Service (NWS) in Texas. According to the NWS, a flash flood emergency is “exceedingly rare” and is only used when “there is a severe threat to human life and catastrophic damage.”