Texas Rep. Virdell to Newsmax: Kerr County Couldn't Prepare for Deadly Flood

Texas Republican state Rep. Wes Virdell said Saturday on Newsmax that no amount of planning could have prepared Kerr County for the catastrophic flood that struck the region last week, stressing the severity of the event and praising the local and federal response.

Virdell said that the devastating Hill Country flood could not have been anticipated — or prevented — even in a region historically prone to flash flooding.

“I honestly don't think so,” Virdell said in an interview on “America Right Now.”

“I'll be on the special committee that's going to be investigating ways that could be handled differently. Maybe. But you talk to everyone up towards [the city of] Ingram and the Hunt [community] and all that. They'll all tell you this: there's no way that this was expected.”

The flood, which swept through parts of Kerr County earlier this week, killed residents and left first responders and volunteers scrambling to locate missing people and assess the damage. The area, part of what meteorologists call “Flash Flood Alley,” is known for rapid water surges to its rocky terrain and narrow riverbanks.

Virdell said acts of bravery and determination marked the community’s response in the first moments.

“The two things that stick out: One is the heroism of the locals to rescue people, especially in the very beginning,” he said. “And then two is — if you can see behind me — there's volunteers going up and down the river banks, and they're looking through everything they can. They're trying to find people [who] have been lost. You know, people want closure to know that their family member is found.”

Virdell praised the response from both the state and federal governments.

“President Trump was here yesterday, and we're extremely grateful for him. And he's telling us that we will have enough FEMA money to take care of this. And they'll do everything they can. I believe he loves this country and wants to make sure that we're taken care of down here in the Hill Country.”

The flood also reignited debate about disaster alert infrastructure in rural Texas.

Virdell has faced criticism for voting against a $500 million emergency alert bill earlier this year. The bill, House Bill 13, would have created a council to develop a state emergency response plan, including outdoor warning sirens and alert systems. Virdell has said he opposed the bill because the proposed council would lack public oversight.

“It creates a council that has no transparency,” Virdell told NewsNation. “It was actually exempt from transparency.”

Still, Virdell says improving communication systems in the area remains a priority.

“As the state representative for the district, that's one of the things I'm going to request — that we have cell phone providers come in and get more cell phone service back there,” he said Saturday. “And then I've been talking to SpaceX and their Starlink. Going forward, we're going to look at ways that we can find better alert systems that don't depend on cell service to get people notified.”

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