Tempers are flaring and blame is being slung in multiple directions after a cataclysmic Texas flood tore through a 100-year-old Christian camp in Texas and other areas, killing at least 43 people, including 15 children, early Friday morning, July 4.
The aftermath of the Texas flood has left a devastating toll, with dozens dead and scores still missing, underscoring the scale of this disaster. Authorities say there are still 27 people missing, including 20 girls, when the “black wall of death” raged through the camp at the banks of the Guatelupe River in Kerrville, about 65 miles northwest of San Antonio, according to WFAA ABC 8 news outlet. State officials report that evacuation crews from the county and state have rescued or evacuated 850 people so far.
Despite the chaos, the unwavering commitment of the rescue teams is a beacon of hope. They are tirelessly continuing their search for a group of around 27 people who were attending an all-girls Christian summer camp, demonstrating their dedication to saving lives.
Amidst the chaos, government agencies have resorted to blaming one another for the tragedy, adding a layer of complexity to the situation. The National Weather Service has come under intense fire from authorities for not adequately warning the campers and others in the area about ‘the amount of rain that we saw,’ according to W. Nim Kidd, director of the Texas Division of Emergency Management. This criticism underscores the pressing need for more effective disaster warnings.
National Weather Service defends itself
Tom Fahy, the legislative director for the National Weather Service Employees Organization, stated that cuts to the federal workforce have led to numerous staffing shortages nationwide, according to Forbes magazine. However, Fahy also noted that an advanced warning of a possible flood was issued on Thursday afternoon, July 3.
“The WFOs [weather forecasting offices] had adequate staffing and resources as they issued timely forecasts and warnings leading up to the storm,” Fahy said, adding that unfilled leadership positions were “clearly a concern.”
The NWS, despite the criticism, maintains its belief that it gave sufficient warning. It was “heartbroken by the tragic loss of life in Kerr County,” in a statement, but reiterated that it did send out a warning. The NWS, in response to the criticism, detailed its defense. It was “heartbroken by the tragic loss of life in Kerr County,” in a statement, but reiterated that it did send out a warning.
“Flash Flood Warnings were issued on the night of July 3 and in the early morning of July 4, giving preliminary lead times of more than three hours before warning criteria were met,” the statement said.
The NWS was one of several federal agencies targeted by the controversial cost-cutting efforts of the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency. Several hundred employees of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) were also casualties of the cutbacks.
The children who remained missing on Saturday afternoon were at an all-girls Christian summer camp known as Camp Mystic, which had been in existence since 1926.
