The flash floods that have devastated Texas are already a difficult crisis to manage. More than 100 people are confirmed dead after the July 4 deluge, and many more remain missing. But while recovery efforts are underway, Texas authorities are grappling with a compounding challenge: civilian drone operators interfering with emergency response.

Local officials have faced angry questions about whether they could have warned people of dangerous flash floods in Texas Hill Country sooner. Rescue teams from neighboring states and Mexico have joined local efforts to search for survivors,