Local officials in Texas on Tuesday said they were unable to answer key questions about how prepared they were for the deadly flooding that struck the area on Friday, including how and when the county emergency manager responded.

Emergency responders kept hope alive as they combed through fallen trees and other debris that littered the hard-hit central Texas communities on the fifth day after devastating floods killed more than 100.

In the days after the devastating flood that killed dozens in Central Texas, local officials have deflected direct questions about preparations and warnings in advance of the storm that struck July Fo

Congressional Democrats are demanding an inquiry into whether NWS staffing shortages have affected the death toll, and President Donald Trump took a swipe at Joe Biden for setting up “that water situation,

Experts said the NWS did a good job warning about the flooding, but questions remain about whether the cuts played a role.

As the deadly floodwaters in parts of central Texas recede, there are growing questions about how the catastrophic rainfall seemingly caught the area by surprise. Some local officials say the National Weather Service underestimated the extreme rain but the agency says an initial flood watch was issued Thursday afternoon.