In some ways, out-of-towners were more vulnerable in the July 4 flood. At least 19 of the more than 100 people killed were from the Houston area.

In the early hours of Independence Day, rain pelted sleeping communities in central Texas. No one knew yet how devastating the storm would become.

At Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp in Hunt, Texas, where officials are grieving the loss of 27 children and counselors, belongings of the young campers were strewn about the flooded floors of a dormitory, while other items, including a pink backpack and a Camp Mystic T-shirt, were found along the bloated Guadalupe River, photos show.

A small Texas town that recorded no deaths in last weekend’s flood disaster had recently upgraded its emergency alert system — the kind of setup state, county and federal officials

Flooding is the deadliest natural disaster facing Oklahomans, a threat far greater than tornadoes. In the United States, flooding kills an average of 103 people a year. Tornadoes, however, caused 48 deaths on average during the same period, according to the National Weather Service.

Barry dissipated as a tropical depression four days before its remnants helped trigger the deadly Texas flash flood. And it's far from the only example of deadly inland flooding we've seen.

A perfect storm of a slow-moving pocket of moist air, parched terrain and a hilly area prone to flash flooding unleashed absolute hell on Texas Hill Country — where more than 50 people have died, according to meteorologists.

"It's sadly common for people to abandon puppies near public areas where they hope someone might find them," the rescue told Newsweek.

As a climate scientist who calls Texas home, I can tell you that the Hill Country of Texas is no stranger to flooding. Meteorologists often refer to it as “Flash Flood Alley” because of its steep terrain, shallow soils, and its history of sudden and intense rainfall.

Nearly a week after deadly floods struck Central Texas, search and rescue teams are continuing to probe debris for those still missing.