A Kerrville-area river authority executed a contract for a flood warning system that would have been used to help with emergency response, local officials said.

Over the last decade, an array of Texas state and local agencies missed opportunities to fund a flood warning system, including failing to secure roughly $1 million US for a project to better protect Kerr County’s 50,

The number of confirmed deaths from the Texas Hill Country floods rose to 95 in Kerr County on Wednesday, Sheriff Larry Leitha said.

TEGNA Texas created a new charitable fund raising money to support people impacted by devastating floods in Central Texas.

As of 6:25 p.m. on Wednesday, 96 people — 60 adults and 36 children — are dead after Hill Country flooding, Kerr County officials said.

Kerr County, Texas and national search and rescue operations will continue Monday around the Guadalupe River, where families wait for news of their loved ones.

Flash floods surged through in the middle of the night, but many local officials appeared unaware of the unfolding catastrophe, initially leaving people near the river on their own.

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 Fourth.

Twice, the Texas Division of Emergency Management turned down Kerr County's requests for money to improve flood warnings.