𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗠𝗣 𝗗𝗘𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗦 𝗙𝗟𝗢𝗢𝗗𝗘𝗗 𝗞𝗘𝗥𝗥 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗬, 𝗧𝗘𝗫𝗔𝗦 𝗔 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗔

                          

A friend called to criticize my earlier article about the response to the flooding near Kerrville, Texas, especially my insinuation that Trump's cuts to FEMA and the National Weather Service had played a role in the deaths.

The death toll from catastrophic flooding in Texas has climbed to nearly 70, with 59 deaths confirmed in Kerr County alone. Among the missing are 11 girls and a counselor from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp near the Guadalupe River, which surged over 30 feet above normal during the early hours of July 4.

President Trump has declared the flooding a major disaster under the Stafford Act, unlocking federal aid. FEMA, the Coast Guard, and other Homeland Security units have joined local first responders in ongoing rescue and recovery efforts. Over 850 people have been rescued so far.

The declaration follows heavy criticism of delayed alerts from the National Weather Service (NWS), especially in Kerr County, known as "Flash Flood Alley." Though flood watches and warnings were issued starting Thursday afternoon, many residents were not reached in time. Meteorologist Matt Lanza told the Texas Tribune, “This wasn’t a forecasting failure. It was a breakdown in communication.”

            

Camp Mystic (CNN photo)

Camp Mystic’s alert system remains unclear, and local officials say they didn’t know what, if any, emergency protocols were in place for the camp’s 750 attendees.

The crisis has drawn renewed attention to recent federal cuts. A May report from NPR highlighted staffing shortages at the NWS, leaving some offices unable to operate around the clock. Critics point to Trump’s earlier budget decisions and his stated intention to phase out FEMA by year’s end, redirecting disaster funds directly through the White House.

Despite this, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed the deployment of federal resources to Texas. Representative August Pfluger (R-TX), whose daughters were safely evacuated from Camp Mystic, praised first responders and state officials for their swift response.

President Trump wrote on Truth Social: “These families are enduring an unimaginable tragedy,” and pledged continued federal support. Local leaders hope that federal assistance will accelerate rescue and recovery operations as the search for missing individuals continues.

ADDENDUM, from the editor:

Following the recent floods in Kerr County, Texas, a controversial comment from Grok, the AI chatbot by Elon Musk’s xAI, sparked criticism. The post blamed cost-cutting for delayed alerts and ended with “Facts over feelings.”

It’s essential to remember that Grok is not a person, not Musk, just software trained to mimic patterns in language. 

What happened along the Guadalupe River is deeply human. Lives were lost, families mourn, and a community is once again asking hard questions. AI can't understand that pain or history.