Texas floods: 51 dead, rescue mission ongoing; Trump's job cuts linked to delayed forecast | 5 points

The Texas floods disaster unfolded rapidly on Friday morning as heavier-than-forecast rain drove river waters to as high as 29 feet.

The Texas floods continue to create havoc in the Hill Country, a rural area known for rugged terrain, historic towns and tourist attractions, as the rescue team continue their frantic search for people missing in the area.

Houses and cars are partially submerged in flood waters in an aerial view near Kerrville, Texas, U.S. July 4, 2025. (via REUTERS)

The floods came as a sudden storm brought up to 15 inches of rain to the area around the Guadalupe River, meaning months' worth of downpour was seen in hours. The disaster unfolded rapidly on Friday morning as heavier-than-forecast rain drove river waters to as high as 29 feet.

At least 51 people have lost their lives in the extreme weather conditions, with several still missing, according to a New York Times report. US secretary for Homeland Security Kristi Noem said a "moderate" flood watch issued the previous day by the National Weather Service did not accurately predict the extreme rainfall and said the Donald Trump administration was working to upgrade the system.

Here are the latest updates on the floods in Central Texas.

The Texas floods continue to wreck the Hill Country| 5 points

• According to the NYT report, the death toll in the Texas floods has risen to 51, including 15 children. Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said eight of the confirmed dead, including three children, had yet to be identified.
• News agency Reuters reported that more than 850 people had been rescued, including some clinging to trees. Kerrville city manager Dalton Rice said at a press conference on Saturday evening that several people are still missing, including 27 girls from the Camp Mystic summer camp.
• The US National Weather Service said the flash flood emergency has largely ended for Kerr County following thunderstorms that dumped more than a foot of rain. That is half of the total the region sees in a typical year. A flood watch remained in effect until 7 PM for the broader region.
• Texas Governor Greg Abbott said at a news briefing on Saturday that he had asked President Donald Trump to sign a disaster declaration, something he himself had done for the affected area on Friday. A disaster declaration from the White House would unlock federal aid for those affected. Kristi Noem said Trump would honour that request.
• The administration has cut thousands of jobs from the National Weather Service's parent agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), leaving many weather offices understaffed, said former NOAA director Rick Spinrad. He said he did not know if those staff cuts factored into the lack of advance warning for the extreme Texas flooding, but said they would inevitably degrade the agency's ability to deliver accurate and timely forecasts, Reuters reported.