Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz says one of the state's elite K-9 units is heading to central Texas to aid in search and recovery efforts following the devastating floods.

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

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.

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.

Twice, the Texas Division of Emergency Management turned down Kerr County's requests for money to improve flood warnings.

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.

At a Wednesday morning press conference, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha declined to answer a question about delayed emergency alerts, saying that an "after-action" would follow the search and rescue efforts. "Those questions are gonna be answered," he added.

Federal forecasters issued their first flood warning at 1:14 a.m. on July 4. Local officials haven’t shed light on when they saw the warnings or whether they saw them in time to take action.