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

The catastrophic Central Texas floods have claimed at least 121 lives and left 173 missing, as a report reveals that Kerr County officials were repeatedly denied state funding for an emergency flood warning system.

A memorial service was held in Kerr County, Texas on Friday to honor the victims and those still missing from flooding that recently struck the region.

Recordings provided to CBS News showed first responders asking for an emergency alert to be sent, but dispatchers delayed because they needed special authorization.

In the last nine years, federal funding for a system has been denied to the county as it contends with a tax base hostile to government overspending.

Kerr County first tried to secure $1 million for a flood warning system in 2017, but could not. Could such a system have prevented loss of life on July 4?

Over 12,000 volunteers have already assisted in Kerr County, according to the Texas Division of Emergency Management.

The number of people reported missing in Kerr County, Texas, as a result of last week’s flash floods continues to soar. Authorities say search teams combing through the debris and destruction there are looking for more than 160 people who disappeared in the raging waters.

In the days after the devastating flood that killed dozens in Central Texas, local officials have deflected direct questions about preparations and warnings in advance of the storm that struck July Fourth.

Experts suggested that more data and education are needed as Texas and the rest of the country build in known flood plains.