Nearly a decade ago, neighboring counties, Guadalupe and Comal, installed flood sirens. Nearby New Braunfels regularly tests its outdoor warning system, which is designed to alert residents to flash floods that are common in the area. But in Kerr County, officials admitted over the weekend that no such system exists.

At least 82 people are dead after heavy rain led to "catastrophic" flooding in Texas. Kerr County was hit the hardest, with at least 75 deaths, including 27 children. President Donald Trump signed a disaster declaration for the county and the Federal Emergency Management Agency is on the ground there.

For years, local leaders in Kerr County, Texas, talked about getting a flood warning system that didn't rely on cellphones — but the project was never funded.