Texas Senator seen holidaying in Europe as flood death toll reaches 100

Daily Mirror

a day ago

Senator Ted Cruz was allegedly spotted touring Europe as the death toll from catastrophic flash floods in Texas continued to climb after a river swelled and ripped through summer camps
Senator Ted Cruz of Texas has been caught holidaying in Europe while his home state battles devastating flash floods. The Swamp revealed that Cruz, alongside his family, was spotted on Saturday soaking up the history at Athens' iconic Parthenon.
As 54-year-old Cruz and his wife Heidi, aged 52, were taking in the ancient Greek ruins back in Texas, emergency services were scrambling to rescue those missing following the rapid flooding of the Guadalupe River in Hill County, which tore through summer camps and local communities. Officials now believe at least 104 lives have been lost due to the catastrophic weather event.
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An onlooker at the Parthenon recounted, "He was with his family and a lone security guard," and shared their confrontation with the senator: "As he walked past us, I simply said, '20 kids dead in Texas and you take a vacation?'".
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The eyewitness continued, revealing Cruz's reaction: "He sort of grunted and walked on," and noted, "His wife shot me a dirty look. Then they continued on with their tour guide."
Following his supposed return on Sunday, Cruz released a statement assuring that he was being kept informed about the ongoing crisis, reports the Mirror US.
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Senator Ted Cruz revealed the steps he took in the initial phases of the catastrophic flood, stating that he immediately touched base with top state officials and even reached out to the then-President.
"In the first few hours of this flood, I was on the phone with Governor Abbott, was on the phone with Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, I was on the phone with Nim Kidd, the head of the Texas Department of Emergency Management, and then I called President Trump," Cruz said on Monday morning.
He informed Trump during dinner time about the grave situation: "He was having dinner at the time, it was still early in what was transpiring, and I wanted him to know. I said, Mr President, from everything we're hearing right now, this appears to be bad, really bad."
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Cruz also shared the president's swift commitment to aiding the crisis-hit area, noting, "There may be a very significant loss of life unfolding right now in Texas... The president said, 'Ted... whatever assets you need, whatever resources you need, yes, let us know, and we will provide everything.'" The senator noted the quick response following the disaster as well: "Within hours, we had over a dozen helicopters in the air, National Guard, DPS, game wardens, Coast Guard, doing search and rescue."
The tragic repercussions of the floods were brought into sharper focus with reports that Camp Mystic, a Christian girls' summer camp, endured some of the worst devastation, suffering several casualties amongst its campers and counsellors. The camp's disclosure contributes to the deep sorrow surrounding the calamity that saw a powerful deluge sweep through the historic recreational site.
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The camp released a heartfelt message on its website, stating: "We have been in communication with local and state authorities who are tirelessly deploying extensive resources to search for our missing girls," and expressing their gratitude by saying, "We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support from the community, first responders, and officials at every level."
As the search continues, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott confirmed on Sunday that at least 40 individuals remain unaccounted for, cautioning that this figure is expected to climb. Later updates revealed that authorities have found 75 deceased individuals in Kerr County, including 48 adults and 27 children.
Officials report that there are still 15 adults and nine children awaiting identification, while 10 campers and one counsellor from Camp Mystic are still missing. Additionally, 10 fatalities have been confirmed in other counties, including Travis, Burnet, Kendall, Tom Green, and Williamson, amidst rescue operations that have saved over 850 people from the floodwaters.
On Sunday, families of those at the camp were allowed on-site to join the search for their missing relatives. Volunteers, along with professionals using heavy machinery, have been working to clear debris from the land and river to aid the search efforts.
In February 2021, the Texas senator was caught jetting off to Cancun, Mexico, amidst a winter storm that left hundreds of Texans without power or heat. Cruz justified his getaway by claiming he wanted to be "a good dad", but made a swift return as "it didn't feel right."