All key leading officials from the Texas county hardest hit by the July 4 flash flooding that killed at least 136 people were absent from an emergency briefing call held before the tragedy unfolded, questioning from state lawmakers on Thursday revealed.

For the first time since catastrophic flooding killed more than 100 people in Kerr County, Texas, the county emergency management director conceded that he was sick and asleep as the water rose to historic levels on the Guadalupe River.

Texas state lawmakers from both parties criticized local authorities in Kerr County for being unprepared for the devastating July Fourth flooding that left more than 135 people dead in their region.