The article discusses the impact of Texas floods with at least 121 fatalities, including loss at Camp Mystic. It highlights acts of heroism and shares individual stories, like the Renee Smajstrla Memorial Fund for camp scholarships.

Why is it so hard to get people to safety? Effective warning systems are complicated, involve a lot of moving pieces, and need continuous maintenance,” Lori Dengler writes.

Jane Hunt was one of the at least 27 campers and counselors who lost their lives at Camp Mystic during the flooding tragedy in Texas over the Fourth of July weekend. Her grandma, Margaret Hunt, remembers the child and tells PEOPLE how the family was able to identify Jane's body thanks to a special gift.

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.

According to local authorities, at least 109 people died on July 4 and 5, most of which were swept up in floodwaters from campgrounds along the Guadalupe River. That’s just shy of the 118 deaths reported as a result of Hurricane Rita in 2005.

The family of Dick and Tweety Eastland, the owners of Camp Mystic, where at least 27 died during the devastating Texas floods, is focusing on helping the families of campers and counselors while trying to process their own grief.

Scholars and designers of early warning systems say that there are still huge gaps in our ability to predict flash floods and warn those at risk.

July 17, 1987, is a day forever ingrained in his memory. At the time, he was an assistant pastor at a Mesquite church, leading a group of teens at the Pot O' Gold Christian camp near Comfort, Texas. Early that morning, they were told they'd need to evacuate because of the risk of flooding from the Guadalupe River.