Even before the Central Texas floods that killed more than 100 people, the state was by far the leader in U.S. flood deaths due partly to geography that can funnel rainwater into deadly deluges, according to a study spanning decades.

Eight-year-old girls at sleep-away camp, families crammed into recreational vehicles, local residents traveling to or from work. These are some of the victims.

By all accounts, forecasters provided adequate warning — the problem was communicating the danger to residents.

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

At least 135 people, including 37 children, died in the torrential downpour over the July 4 holiday weekend. The number of missing people dropped sharply on Saturday.

At least 70 people, including at least 21 children, have died as a result of flash flooding in Texas after the Guadalupe River north of San Antonio flowed over its banks. The search for victims intensified June 6, as 11 children and a camp counselor remain missing from Camp Mystic, a Christian girls' camp at the river's edge.

The Economist/YouGov poll surveyed nearly 1,680 U.S. adults this week, and 52% blamed lack of government preparation for most of the deaths, mainly centered in Kerr County along the Guadalupe River.

Even as missing-persons searches continue, some law firms are making pitches to victims to sue “all parties responsible.” Not everyone agrees on that approach.