A deadly flash flood in Texas has killed at least 109 people, including at least 27 children and counselors from Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp in Kerr County. And it’s raised questions about the alert system.
Flooding ravaged the area after rainfall overwhelmed the Guadalupe River on July 4, surging over 26 feet in less than an hour, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said.
At around 1:15 p.m. on July 3, the National Weather Service’s Austin office issued a flash flood watch for eight counties, including Kerr, USA Today reported. At 1:18 a.m. on July 4, it was upgraded to a flash flood warning, triggering cell phone alerts to residents in the area.
Less than three hours later, the National Weather Service Austin office issued a flash flood emergency bulletin at 4:03 a.m., urging people in the rural area to seek higher ground because it was a “particularly dangerous situation” in south-central Kerr County, including Hunt, Texas, according to USA Today.
A decade earlier, the state denied the county’s request to improve its flood warning system, but sirens — like neighboring counties installed — weren’t part of the package because many people in Kerr County opposed them.
Here’s what to know about flash floods, emergency systems and how to stay safe as Florida is in the Atlantic hurricane season.
What is a flash flood warning?
A flash flood warning is issued when dangerous flash flooding is occurring or is imminent. A warning is usually a smaller, more specific area (than a flood watch). This can be issued due to excessive rainfall or a dam or levee failure, according to the National Weather Service.
Do I live in a flood zone?
Flood zones are geographic areas defined by the Florida Emergency Management Agency, according to varying levels of flood risk, ranging from low to high risk.
Here are FEMA’s maps for each Treasure Coast county to check if you live in a low, moderate, or high-risk flooding area:
To check, input your address in the search bar, typically located in the top left part of the screen.
Flash flood safety
Flash floods occur suddenly and usually within hours of excessive rainfall. If you’re in an area where a flash flood warning has been issued, here’s what to remember, according to the National Weather Service.
Will I get a notification on my phone if there is a flash flood warning?
Maybe.
Wireless Emergency Alerts — called WEAs — are free notifications delivered to your mobile device. To receive the alerts, you need to make sure you have not turned off those notifications.
The Wireless Emergency Alerts are limited to flash flood warnings when there is a “threat tag” of considerable or catastrophic, the National Weather Service said.
How to enable Wireless Emergency Alerts on your phone
On an iPhone, go to:
On an Android, go to:
Gianna Montesano is TCPalm’s trending reporter. You can contact her at gianna.montesano@tcpalm.com, 772-409-1429, or follow her on X @gonthescene.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: How to set up emergency cellphone notifications for flash flood warnings and safety tips
Reporting by Gianna Montesano, Cheryl McCloud and Melina Khan, Treasure Coast Newspapers / Treasure Coast Newspapers
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
