Central Texas is grappling with the aftermath of catastrophic flooding that began on July 4, leaving at least 120 people dead and more than 170 still missing.
The disaster, centered around the Guadalupe River, has devastated communities, destroyed homes, and claimed the lives of dozens of children, including at least 27 at Camp Mystic, a well-known all-girls summer camp.
Search and rescue operations continue, with local and federal crews combing through debris-strewn neighborhoods and riverbanks in hopes of finding survivors or recovering bodies.
Trump’s Visit and the FEMA Debate
President Donald Trump is visiting Texas on Friday (11) to survey the flood damage firsthand. The trip comes as the administration faces renewed scrutiny over previous promises to shutter or dramatically reform the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the federal body responsible for disaster response.
While the White House has recently walked back plans to abolish FEMA, officials continue to dodge questions about the agency’s long-term future, instead emphasizing the need for “serious reforms” and greater reliance on state-level disaster management.
Trump, who has made government downsizing a centerpiece of his administration, has so far focused on the magnitude of the disaster rather than his earlier pledges to cut FEMA. “Nobody ever saw a thing like this coming,” Trump told NBC News on Thursday (10). “This is a once-in-every-200-year deal.” He added that he delayed his visit to avoid burdening local authorities still searching for the missing.
Scenes of Loss and Community Resilience
The scale of the destruction is staggering. In Kerr County alone, 96 people have died, including at least 36 children. Families have been left searching for missing loved ones, sifting through the wreckage of homes and summer camps.
Volunteers and first responders, including the Texas National Guard and NASA aircraft, are assisting in the search and recovery efforts, often using horses to navigate waterlogged terrain.
Residents like RickyRay Robertson, whose property straddles the river, have found themselves helping grieving families search for their children.
“They’re not just numbers, you know. They’re young girls, men, mothers, and fathers. What is this … just a big box full of belongings, you know,” Robertson said, reflecting the profound personal losses suffered by the community.
Political Tensions and the Future of Disaster Relief
Trump’s visit highlights the political complexities of disaster response. While he praised the speed of the federal response—telling Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, “You had people there as fast as anybody’s ever seen”—his administration is still pushing for a streamlined FEMA, with more responsibilities shifted to state governments.
Noem, who is co-chairing a FEMA review council, said, “We’re cutting through the paperwork of the old Fema. Streamlining it, much like your vision of how Fema should operate.”
Pressed on whether the White House still plans to shutter FEMA, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “The president wants to ensure American citizens always have what they need during times of need. Whether that assistance comes from states or the federal government, that is a policy discussion that will continue.”
As Texas mourns its dead and continues the search for the missing, the disaster is testing both the state’s emergency preparedness and the federal government’s evolving approach to disaster management.
The debate over FEMA’s future remains unresolved, even as the agency coordinates a massive relief effort in one of the deadliest U.S. flood events in decades
