In what experts call "Flash Flood Alley," the terrain reacts quickly to rainfall steep slopes, rocky ground, and narrow riverbeds leave little time for warning.

The Texas Hill Country has been notorious for flash floods caused by the Guadalupe River. Here's why the area is called "Flash Flood Alley."

In Central Texas, the search for over 170 missing people persists as rescue teams intensify efforts following devastating floods.

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.

Devyn Smith clung to a tree as muddy, debris-laden water rushed beneath her. She was ripped more than 15 miles from where she and five of her family members had set camp the night before.

The situation evolves daily. Several nonprofit groups that have arrived said they plan to remain on the ground for the next few weeks, providing physical, emotional, and spiritual support.

In Kerr County, Thad Heartfield is leading nearly 100 volunteers searching for flood victims. For him, this mission is personal. His son and three of his son's friends disappeared in the flood.

The flooding brought the Guadalupe to its second-highest point in history, according to the National Weather Service, which urged people in the affected area to move to higher ground.