Texas county commissioners previously suggested "river calling," an informal phone chain used by summer camps, would be better than installing new flood sirens.

The loss of life is unimaginable. While we are still grappling with what happened, it’s important to understand the historic nature of this flood. It likely already ranks as the third-deadliest flood in Texas history.

Local officials in one of the hardest-hit counties have still revealed little about what, if any, actions they took to safeguard residents, tourists, and visitors in an area known as “flash flood alley.