The death toll from devastating flash floods in Texas has climbed to 80, with more than 40 people still missing as rescue efforts continue across the south-central U.S. state. Torrential rains triggered widespread flooding across 20 counties, leaving communities shattered and emergency services overwhelmed.
Kerr County remains the hardest hit, accounting for 68 of the fatalities &mdash; including 21 children &mdash; according to Sheriff Larry Leitha. Four additional counties have reported a combined 12 deaths.
Search operations are ongoing, with 10 girls and a counselor from Camp Mystic still unaccounted for. Authorities fear the toll could rise further, as more storms are forecast.
President Donald Trump announced plans to visit Texas on Friday after issuing a major disaster declaration on Sunday to expedite federal aid. Speaking to reporters from his New Jersey golf club, Trump called it a &ldquo;100-year catastrophe&rdquo; and pushed back against criticism of budget cuts to weather services during his administration.
&ldquo;This was the thing that happened in seconds. Nobody expected it. Nobody saw it,&rdquo; he said.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott confirmed at a press briefing that at least 41 people remain missing. He warned of more heavy rainfall in the coming days, increasing the risk of further flooding.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has opened seven shelters, providing food, water, and temporary housing to displaced residents.
However, concerns have surfaced about the timeliness and adequacy of flood warnings issued by the National Weather Service (NWS). Some local officials and residents claim alerts came too late to act.
NWS officials responded that forecasting offices in the region were fully operational, although data from the NWS labor union revealed staffing shortages &mdash; including four vacancies in San Angelo and six in San Antonio.
Despite this, the NWS West Gulf River Forecast Center maintained that its forecasting centers were functional and did not anticipate the unprecedented volume of rainfall.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely as emergency crews search for survivors and attempt to assess the full scale of the damage. [Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by the Benefit News editorial team and is published directly from the IANS news feed]

Texas Floods Kill 80, Over 40 Still Missing

Deadly flash floods wreak havoc in Texas; rescue efforts on as more rain expected in coming days

Texas Floods Kill 80, Over 40 Still Missing

Deadly flash floods wreak havoc in Texas; rescue efforts on as more rain expected in coming days

July 7, 2025 | 10:40 IST