The announcement Saturday by Kerr County that the list of missing has shrunk came after people who were previously reported missing have since been accounted for and as state lawmakers prepare to discuss authorities’ initial response and the possible improvements to warning systems. Flash floods killed at least 135 people, with most deaths along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, about 60 miles (100 kilometers) northwest of San Antonio. The Hill Country is naturally prone to flash flooding because its dry, dirt-packed soil cannot soak up heavy rain. The Texas Legislature is scheduled to convene Monday for a special session. Governor Greg Abbott initially called lawmakers back to the Texas State Capitol in Austin for other reasons, but he and legislative leaders have added flooding-related issues to the agenda. At one time, state officials said about 160 people were unaccounted for after the flooding in Kerr County alone.

Kerr County officials said the number of missing people decreased as victims were recovered, contact was made with people who were found safe and some reports were found to be unsubstantiated or falsified. The floods laid waste to the Hill Country. Vacation cabins, youth camps campgrounds fill the riverbanks and hills of Kerr County, and Camp Mystic, a century-old Christian summer camp for girls in a low-lying area along the Guadalupe. At least 27 of its campers and counsellors died. (The Gleaner)