Texas, flood
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After hours of waiting and praying in the attic, the water stopped rising and the family was rescued. A first responder helped Matteson, wearing a navy and pink floral dress and quilted white jacket, into the back of a car. Her family survived. Their home was not so lucky.
Residents living south of the San Saba River in San Saba County have been ordered to evacuate due to river surging.
The risk of the catastrophic flooding that struck Texas Hill Country as people slept on July 4 and left at least 120 dead was potentially underestimated by federal authorities, according to an ABC News analysis of Federal Emergency Management Agency data, satellite imagery and risk modeling.
Would a flood scale like those used for hurricanes and tornadoes have prompted different actions by Texas officals and the public before July 4th flooding?
Kerr County failed to secure a warning system, even as local officials remained aware of the risks and as billions of dollars were available for similar projects.
The National Weather Service warned that the Guadalupe River could surge to nearly 15 feet—5 feet above flood stage—by Sunday afternoon.
Some regions in the mid-Atlantic are also facing risks of flooding. On Sunday, Tropical Storm Chantal flooded parts of North Carolina, where more than 10 inches of rain fell near the Chapel Hill area. The Haw River, near Bynum, North Carolina, crested to nearly 22 feet, the highest crest on record there, as a result of those heavy rains.
Texas officials pause search for flood victims along the Guadalupe River due to heavy rains and new high water warnings.