After hours of waiting and praying in the attic, the water stopped rising and the family was rescued. A first responder helped Matteson, wearing a navy and pink floral dress and quilted white jacket, into the back of a car. Her family survived. Their home was not so lucky.

Kerr County had discussed buying such things as water gauges and sirens after previous flood disasters. But as with many rural Texas counties, cost was an issue.

The deadly Texas floods have brought the state's approach to land approvals, especially in flood-prone areas, under more scrutiny.

When too much rain falls for the ground to absorb, it runs downhill, pulled by gravity into streams, creeks and rivers.

Kerr County failed to secure a warning system, even as local officials remained aware of the risks and as billions of dollars were available for similar projects.

Search crews continued the grueling task of recovering the missing as more potential flash flooding threatened Texas Hill Country.

It’s discouraging that during this time when we have such a loss of life, and so many people’s lives have turned upside down, that people are playing politics with this,” Noem told NBC's Kristen Welker.