 "Trump says he will ‘probably’ visit Texas as flash floods death toll rises to 78, fresh emergency alerts issued")
Rescuers in Texas were working urgently on Sunday to find dozens of missing people, including children, who were swept away by flash floods that have killed at least 78 people so far. Forecasters warned that more heavy rain could be on the way.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said, aboard Air Force One while returning from his golf vacation, that he would “probably” visit Texas on Friday.
He dismissed concerns that his administration’s budget cuts to weather services and federal agencies had weakened local warning systems. Instead, Trump described the floods as a “100-year catastrophe” that “nobody expected.”
In Kerr County, central Texas, at least 40 adults and 28 children have died, Sheriff Larry Leitha said. At least ten more people were killed by flooding in nearby areas.
“You will see the death toll rise today,” warned Texas public safety chief Freeman Martin at a press conference.
Across the state, 41 people remain missing in flood-affected areas, according to Texas Governor Greg Abbott.
As questions grew about why warnings didn’t come sooner or why people weren’t evacuated earlier in the popular camping region, Trump blamed the situation on President Biden.
“That was not our setup,” Trump told reporters on Sunday. He also said he would “not” rehire meteorologists when asked about staff and budget cuts at the National Weather Service (NWS).
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View AllWhen asked whether he planned to reverse his decision to phase out the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Trump replied, “FEMA is something we can talk about later.”
Although Trump has previously argued that disaster relief should be handled at the state level, he signed a major disaster declaration to release federal resources for Texas.
In central Texas, about 17 helicopters joined the search for missing people, including ten girls and a counselor from a Christian summer camp beside the Guadalupe River. About 750 people had been staying at Camp Mystic when the floods hit.
In a terrifying scene, the rain-swollen Guadalupe River rose to the treetops and cabin roofs while the girls were sleeping overnight on Friday, sweeping some away and leaving devastation behind.
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