The devastating Texas floods have left at least 59 people dead as of Sunday morning, with several others still missing. Among those unaccounted for are around 27 young campers from an all-girls Christian summer camp, Camp Mystic, near the Guadalupe River. The situation has prompted growing concerns about flood preparedness and the role of the National Weather Service (NWS) in forecasting the disaster.
Flash Floods in Kerr County Spark Massive Rescue Efforts
Kerr County, one of the hardest-hit areas, has seen over 850 rescues, according to Texas Governor Greg Abbott. More than 1,000 first responders from state agencies and the U.S. Coast Guard have been deployed to aid in search-and-rescue efforts.
Camp Mystic, located near the Guadalupe River, was directly impacted by what camp officials described as “catastrophic level floods.” The river has a long history of severe flooding, including a tragic 1987 incident that killed 10 people.
Could the Texas Flood Tragedy Have Been Prevented?
The timeline of emergency alerts is under intense scrutiny. While the National Weather Service issued a flash flood watch Thursday afternoon, it wasn’t until overnight that flash flood emergencies were declared — by then, rising waters had already endangered lives.
Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly admitted, “We had no reason to believe that this was going to be anything like what’s happened here.” Meanwhile, W. Nim Kidd, head of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, criticized the NWS, saying they failed to predict the unprecedented rainfall levels.
Staffing Shortages and System Failures at the National Weather Service?
A representative for the National Weather Service Employees Organization told CNN that while NWS Austin and San Antonio offices had “adequate staffing,” the San Antonio office lacked a coordination meteorologist—a key role for communicating with local emergency teams during weather emergencies.
The NWS has experienced major staffing cuts, losing nearly 600 employees in recent years—equal to the number of staff lost in the previous 15 years combined, as reported by the Texas Tribune. These cuts stem in part from cost-reduction measures introduced by the Trump administration, which aimed to “upgrade” outdated systems within the agency.
Federal Response and the Role of FEMA
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the federal response, stating that weather prediction remains inherently difficult and that the NWS is in the process of modernizing. “We all want more time, more alerts, and more notifications,” Noem acknowledged.
President Donald Trump called the Texas flood deaths “shocking”, promising to coordinate federal aid with state officials. However, Trump also reiterated his stance that states should be more self-reliant in disaster preparedness, saying his administration plans to “wean” states off FEMA assistance.
FEMA itself has faced steep staffing reductions and funding cuts under Trump’s leadership. The discontinuation of FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, which previously provided billions in funding to improve disaster preparedness, has further strained emergency response capabilities.