Trump calls Texas floods ‘once-in-every-200-year deal', urges alarm systems ahead of visit
In an interview with NBC News, Trump expressed support for installing flood alarms, saying, 'After having seen this horrible event, I would imagine you'd put alarms up in some form… if they see any large amounts of water or whatever it is.' Trump also defended local and federal authorities, saying: 'Nobody ever saw a thing like this coming. This is a once-in-every-200-year deal.'
He added, 'It'd be easy to blame them. I wouldn't blame them.'
Trump is expected to do an aerial tour of the worst-hit areas, a common practice to avoid disrupting on-ground recovery operations, as reported by AP. First Lady Melania Trump is also expected to accompany him, marking her second disaster site visit this term. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, along with Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, will also join the president on the ground.
The flooding began in the early hours of July 4, when intense rainfall caused the Guadalupe River to rise sharply, peaking at nearly 30 feet in Hunt, located in Kerr County. Among the casualties were at least 27 children and counselors from Camp Mystic, a century-old girls' summer camp. As reported by USA Today, officials have not rescued any survivors since the day the floods hit.
Kerr County, which suffered the worst damage, lacked an audible flood alarm system. The sudden surge took many residents by surprise in a region often referred to as 'flash flood alley' due to its recurring history of rapid flooding.
Several survivors in Kerr County said they received no emergency warnings before the flash floods struck. According to a Washington Post analysis of publicly available wireless emergency data, the county did not issue its first Amber Alert-style push notification until Sunday—well after the initial flooding.
While residents did get a series of flash flood warnings from the National Weather Service (NWS), part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), these alerts were sent during the early hours of Friday, leaving residents with little time to evacuate.
(With inputs from Washington Post, AP, NBC News, USA Today)
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