Texas flooding death toll passes 100; DOGE cuts to NWS, local response eyed in disaster – National & International News – MON 7Jul2025
Texas flooding death toll passes 100, more storms on the way. Did DOGE layoffs play part in disaster?
Fugitive father wanted for murders of 3 daughters in Washington may be in Idaho.
Texas flooding death toll passes 100, more storms on the way
At the end of last week, rain storms in the Hill Country of Central Texas brought a deadly deluge that has severely affected 6 counties. So far, 104 people have been confirmed dead and 24 remain unaccounted for. Most of the deaths, 84 (56 adults and 28 children), were in Kerr County where the Guadalupe River overran its banks. Surges of 20 to 26 feet were recorded in the area.
Nearly all of the children killed in Kerr County were attending Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp for girls. A statement from the camp says they are “grieving the loss of 27 campers and counselors”. Currently, 10 campers and one counselor from Camp Mystic remain unaccounted for.
Other deaths have been confirmed in Travis County (7), Kendall County (6), Burnet County (4), Williamson County (2) and Tom Green County(1).
With search and rescue still underway, more showers are expected in the area today with a flood watch until 7pm. These storms aren’t expected to be nearly as powerful as Friday’s storm, but any amount of rain could be dangerous with the ground still saturated and water still standing in many areas.
On Sunday, President Trump issued an emergency declaration for Kerr County, which will unlock federal disaster assistance.
Controversy over DOGE cuts to NOAA, NWS
In April of this year, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency issued a “fork in the road” memo to most federal employees, including those working for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and its forecasting agency the National Weather Service. Thousands of NOAA and NWS employees departed following this memo and other rounds of dismissals. Many have questioned whether the loss of personnel, many in key positions that have not been filled, made this disaster more deadly than it would have been otherwise.
The short answer is that at this point, there is no way of knowing. But that has not stopped state and federal officials of both parties from weighing in to lay blame. Senate Democrat leader Chuck Schumer has called for a probe by the investigator general for the Commerce Department (which oversees NOAA). Schumer questioned whether cuts to NOAA and NWS contributed to the deadliness of the storm.
While the two NWS offices responsible for the affected areas in Texas are short staffed, they did issue numerous timely watches, warnings, and alerts, including a warning of “life-threatening flooding” along the Guadalupe River shortly after 1 am Friday morning and another after 4am. The river burst its banks around 5 am, sending up a dangerous surge of water.
However, it’s unclear how many received these warnings at a time when most people would be sleeping. Local officials have implied that they did not have adequate warning of the severity of the storm. Joe Herring, Jr., the mayor of Kerrville, told CNN that he did not receive such a warning before the deadliest wave of flooding struck.
At the NWS office for Austin/San Antonio (which covers Kerr County) one of key managers responsible for issuing warnings and coordinating with local emergency management officials retired following the DOGE “fork in the road” memo in April. The position has not been filled.
Local officials in the affected areas are also facing scrutiny over the lack of a countywide flood warning system (which was shelved several years ago due to the expense) and for their response once the emergency was under way.
Related
Fugitive father wanted for murders of 3 young daughters in Washington may be in Idaho
Officials in Idaho received a tip that fugitive father Travis Decker may be hiding out in an Idaho forest. Decker is wanted for the murders of his three daughters, Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5. The three girls were found slain at a campground in Washington State on June 2. Decker’s truck had been abandoned at the scene with traces of male blood on it. Officials have been on the hunt for Decker ever since.
A family camping in Idaho’s Sawtooth National Forest, near Bear Creek, reported seeing a man matching Decker’s description. Locals and visitors to the Bear Creek area have been warned not to fly drones and not to pick up hitchhikers.
Sawtooth National Forest is over 400 miles from the campground where the girls were found near Leavenworth, WA. If the man seen was Decker, his most direct path would have taken him through the northeast corner of Oregon.
Last month, officials in Washington announced they believed Decker was either dead or had left the area. Decker, a former Marine, had extensive survival skills. In the dense forests of the Northwest, a skilled survivalist could potentially hide out for weeks, sheltering in caves, old mine shafts, abandoned buildings, or empty vacation homes. Decker has been known to spend months living off-grid. However, the area is also home to both dangerous terrain and dangerous wildlife.
Other news of note:
Trump delays some tariffs but announces new ones for BRICS-aligned countries.
Australian woman found guilty in death cap mushroom murders.
