Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said that there were some alert warnings that went out around the time that the flash flooding ravaged Texas Hill Country, but explained that not everyone received those warnings.
“There were alert warnings that went out, we believe, by the locals. But if you are a resident and you signed up for it, you got it,” Patrick (R) told “Fox & Friends Weekend” on Sunday.
“But if you happen to be a stranger who just came in for the Fourth of July weekend, you might not have had that.”
Flood waters rose with incredible speed in the dead of night — with the Guadeloupe River rising 20 feet in about 90 minutes between 4 and 5:30 a.m. July 40.
The death toll from the devastating flooding has since risen to 59, while search and rescue carries on for additional survivors.
Local officials have said that weather forecasts had not projected nearly as much rain, and they were therefore caught off guard by the flooding.
“The original forecast that we received Wednesday from the National Weather Service predicted 3-6 inches of rain in the Concho Valley and 4-8 inches in the Hill Country,” Texas Emergency Management Chief W. Nim Kidd explained during a press conference Friday.
“The amount of rain that fell at this specific location was never in any of those forecasts.”
Critics have called for a deeper review of why the National Weather Service wasn’t able to predict the flooding much earlier, or whether there were mishaps in its forecasts getting to emergency managers.
Around 6:30 p.m. local time, Thursday, forecasters said that, “Rapid runoff is expected, with locally considerable flash and urban flash flooding possible … the nocturnal timing will also enhance the hazard potential and impacts.”
Forecasters had also noted that there was potential for historic rainfall.
There had been some alerts and warnings documented, such as a flash flood warning around 1:20 p.m. Thursday, that noted concerns about Kerrville and an alert in the area about “life-threatening flash flooding” around 1:15 a.m. intended to set off phones via the Emergency Alert System.
Follow The Post’s coverage on the deadly Texas flooding
“If you put a pin on the map, of the worst place the heaviest rains could fall was right where they fell in that whole area,” Patrick explained.
“This happened in the middle of the night, in the middle of the darkness, and the worst spot in a big area.”
Patrick acknowledged that the death toll from the deadly flooding is expected to rise, but emphasized that he’s holding out hope that there will be more survivors.
Currently, there are an estimated 27 missing children.
“We have not given up on recovery. We have not given up search and rescue. Search and Rescue, first and foremost, recovery, if it happens,” Patrick vowed. “Miracles can happen.”
