Pounding rain and strong winds battered central Texas on Sunday, prompting rescuers to halt search operations for victims of the deadly floods that roared through the region just more than a week ago.

A slow-moving storm brought heavy precipitation and set off flood warnings in several places along the Guadalupe River, and officials and local residents were bracing for another disaster while still dealing with the aftermath of the July 4 floods. As the rain started to ease in some parts by midafternoon, some flood warnings were downgraded to flood watches.

In the morning, Kerr County, the area hit hardest by the floods last week, was pounded by heavy rain that gradually subsided by afternoon. The sheriff’s office there said that rescuers in the western part of the county could resume operations to search for people still missing, and later officials reopened all areas for searching. Though hopes of finding the missing have diminished, state and local officials have said that search work will continue until every person is found.

Elsewhere in Texas Hill Country, a flood warning remained in effect for parts of other counties, including San Saba and Llano. Several rivers in the region, including the Llano, the San Saba and the Colorado River, also were still under a warning.

Communities and residents across central Texas are still reeling from the catastrophic floods. Some 170 people still are missing statewide and the wait for families wanting closure is getting more agonizing by the minute. Some who evacuated have started to return to their homes — if they are still standing — but many remain in limbo.

In Kerrville, the epicenter of the July 4 floods, rain came down in sheets Sunday morning, prompting officials to close some downtown streets and Highway 39. But after the rain stopped there, people made their way to a memorial for the flood victims. Others helped straighten out items, dumping water out of empty candle jars.

Six rescuers gathered at the memorial, embracing one another as tears streamed down their cheeks. They said they had tried to save many of the people who were being honored.

Although the flooding risk was expected to linger, there was a relatively low risk of excessive rain today across Texas.