Flood deaths rise in Texas as Trump slashes disaster preparedness and weather forecasting
More than 100 people are dead and dozens remain missing after flash floods hit Texas Hill Country, raising alarm over deep staffing cuts and disbandment plans at federal emergency and weather agencies under President Trump.
Nina Lakhani and Oliver Milman report for The Guardian.
In short:
- Flash floods swept through Camp Mystic and nearby areas during the 4th of July holiday weekend, killing over 100 people in a region increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather from climate change.
- The Trump administration has gutted the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Weather Service (NWS), with more than 600 NWS staff laid off and critical local forecasting offices now operating without 24/7 coverage.
- Trump’s 2026 budget slashes funding for weather forecasting, emergency preparedness, and scientific research, threatening the federal capacity to warn and protect communities as climate-driven disasters grow more frequent.
Key quote:
“This is what happens when you let climate change run unabated and break apart the emergency management system – without investing in that system at the local and state level.”
— Samantha Montano, professor of emergency management at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Why this matters:
When emergency systems fail, disasters like the Texas floods become deadlier. Climate change is intensifying rainstorms, hurricanes, and heatwaves, but the U.S. government's ability to predict, warn, and respond is shrinking. FEMA and the National Weather Service are cornerstones of public safety in the face of natural disasters. Their weakening means slower evacuations, poor risk communication, and rising death tolls, especially in flood-prone rural areas without modern gauge systems. Weather forecasting depends heavily on staff expertise, interagency coordination, and scientific research — all of which are being cut.
Related: Trump’s FEMA cuts leave flood-prone cities scrambling for aid
