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The Star
09-07-2025
- Climate
- The Star
Texas floods: Misinformation across political spectrum sows confusion
A drone view of vehicles partially submerged in flood water following torrential rains that unleashed flash floods along the Concho River in San Angelo, Texas, US, on July 4, 2025, in this screen grab obtained from a social media video. — Patrick Keely via Reuters WASHINGTON: Following deadly floods in Texas, misinformation from both left- and right-wing users was roiling social media, with liberals baselessly blaming staffing cuts at US weather agencies for flawed warning systems and conservatives ramping up conspiracy theories. The catastrophic floods over the weekend have left more than a 100 people dead, including more than two dozen girls and counselors at a riverside summer camp, with rescuers racing on Tuesday to search for dozens of people still missing. Multiple left-leaning accounts on the platform X peddled the unfounded claim that staffing cuts at the National Weather Service (NWS) by President Donald Trump's administration had "degraded" its forecasting ability. While the NWS, like other agencies, has experienced deep staffing and budget cuts under the Trump administration, experts say its forecasters rose to the challenge despite the constraints. "There have been claims that (weather agencies) did not foresee catastrophic (Texas) floods – but that's simply not true," Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, wrote on Bluesky. "This was undoubtedly an extreme event but messaging rapidly escalated beginning (around) 12 (hours) that flooded catastrophically had at least 1-2+ hours of direct warning from NWS." There were 22 warnings from the NWS for Kerr County and the Kerrville area, which experienced the worst flooding, according to a CBS News analysis. "This truly was a sudden & massive event and occurred at worst possible time (middle of the night). But (the) problem, once again, was not a bad weather prediction: it was one of 'last mile' forecast/warning dissemination," Swain wrote. Meanwhile, right-wing conspiracy theorists on social media falsely claimed that the government caused the flooding through cloud seeding, an artificial technique that stimulates rainfall. Multiple experts have said that such weather-modification technologies were not responsible for the Texas floods. The misinformation echoes past conspiracy theories, including claims that weather manipulation by the government caused Hurricane Milton – which struck Florida's Gulf Coast last year – and that cloud seeding efforts were behind last year's flooding in Dubai. 'Classic tale of misinformation' "False claims from both the left and right have spread widely on social media following the catastrophic floods in Texas," Sarah Komar and Nicole Dirks from the disinformation watchdog NewsGuard wrote in a report that debunked several falsehoods. "When extreme weather events occur, conspiracy theories about humans creating or controlling them often soon follow." Following natural disasters, misinformation often surges across social media – fueled by accounts from across the political spectrum – as many platforms scale back content moderation and reduce their reliance on human fact-checkers. Traditional media outlets were not immune to misinformation swirling on the Internet. "Like other disasters before it, the (Texas) floods had attracted fast-spreading misinformation and served as a warning about the vigilance required of journalists during emotionally charged news events," said the nonprofit media institute Poynter. Kerr County Lead , a local outlet, was forced to retract a false story about the miracle rescue of two girls who clung to a tree in the floods. The story first surfaced in social media posts that quickly went viral, but a local official said the reports were "100% inaccurate". "Like everyone, we wanted this story to be true, but it's a classic tale of misinformation that consumes all of us during a natural disaster," Louis Amestoy, Kerr County Lead's editor, wrote in a note to readers on Sunday. "Unfortunately, the story is not true and we are retracting it." – AFP
GMA Network
09-07-2025
- Climate
- GMA Network
No Filipinos hurt in deadly Texas floods — DFA
A drone view shows a house swept down the road following torrential rains that unleashed flash floods along the Concho River in San Angelo, Texas, US, July 4, 2025, in this screen grab obtained from a social media video. Patrick Keely/via REUTERS The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported Wednesday that no Filipinos have been reported killed or affected by the massive floods that ravaged Texas in the United States and left over 100 people dead. In a Super Radyo dzBB interview, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said the Filipino community in Texas remains safe, citing updates from the Philippine Consulate in Houston. "So far walang casualty [na Pilipino]. Walang apektadong Pilipino (So far, there are no Filipino casualties. No Filipinos have been affected)," he said. The death toll from the July Fourth flood that devastated Texas Hill County has swelled to at least 109, many of them children, as search teams pressed on through mounds of mud-encrusted debris for scores of people still missing. The bodies of 94 flood victims, more than a third of them children, have been recovered in Kerr County alone as of Tuesday (Texas time), Texas Governor Greg Abbott said at a late-afternoon news conference after touring the area by air. He said 161 other people were known to be missing in the flood zone. De Vega said the DFA continues to monitor the situation closely. "Ang daming namatay na mga Texan pero sagot sa tanong ninyo, may bilang zero so far," he said. (Many Texans have died, but to answer your question—the number of Filipino casualties so far is still zero.) He said most Filipinos reside in areas far from the epicenter of the flooding, including Kerrville—a small town nearly 900 miles from Houston, one of the areas hardest hit by the storm. De Vega added that Consul General Gunther Emil Salas, who heads the consulate in Houston, has confirmed that there are approximately 240,000 Filipinos living in Texas. The consulate has already issued advisories to the Filipino community to stay alert and take necessary precautions, De Vega said. He added that the DFA will continue to coordinate with local authorities and the consulate to ensure the safety of overseas Filipinos amid the developing situation. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
Deccan Herald
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
July 7, 2025: Best photos from around the world
Photographs are displayed during a Mass in honor of people whose bodies authorities found in a crematorium stacked in unsanitary conditions, at the cathedral in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, July 6, 2025. A drone view shows houses flooded following torrential rains that unleashed flash floods along the Concho River in San Angelo, Texas, U.S., July 4, 2025, in this screen grab obtained from a social media video. Credit: Patrick Keely/via REUTERS U.S. President Donald Trump walks at Morristown Airport Smoke billows out following an explosion at a firecracker manufacturing unit, in Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu, Sunday, July 6, 2025. At least one worker was killed and five others were injured in the incident, according to officials. Credit: PTI Photo Members of Maharashtrian community participate in a 'Dindi' procession as part of Ashadhi Ekadashi celebrations, in Bhopal, Sunday, July 6, 2025. Credit: PTI Photo woman with her child during a gathering on the tenth day of the mourning period of Muharram, at Masjid-e-Raza, also known as Kashmiri Imambara, at Lohgarh area in Amritsar, Punjab, Sunday, July 6, 2025. Pilgrims en route towards the holy cave shrine of Amarnath, in Anantnag district, Jammu and Kashmir, Sunday, July 6, 2025. Credit: PTI Photo
Mint
06-07-2025
- Climate
- Mint
20 photos capture deadly Texas floods; 51 people killed, 27 girls missing, several houses damaged, car submerged
20 photos capture deadly Texas floods; 51 people killed, 27 girls missing, several houses damaged, car submerged 20 Photos . Updated: 06 Jul 2025, 03:47 PM IST Share Via In the Saturday flash floods in central Texas, vast landscapes were damaged, killing 51 people and destroying hundreds of houses. Kerr County was worst affected, say reports. 1/20Houses and cars are partially submerged in flood waters in an aerial view near Kerrville, Texas, U.S. July 4, 2025. The flooding in Kerr County killed at least 43 people, including 15 children, and at least eight people died in nearby counties. (U.S. Coast Guard/Handout via REUTERS. ) 2/20A drone view shows the swollen San Gabriel river, in Georgetown, Texas, U.S. July 5, 2025. (Adam Grumbo via REUTERS) 3/20A drone view of a house swept down the road following torrential rains that unleashed flash floods along the Guadalupe River in San Angelo, Texas, U.S., June 4, 2025, (Patrick Keely via REUTERS) 4/20The destructive, fast-moving waters rose 26 feet (8 meters) on the Guadalupe River in just 45 minutes before daybreak Friday, washing away homes and vehicles.. A drone view of a house swept down the road following torrential rains that unleashed flash floods along the Concho River in San Angelo, Texas, U.S., June 4, 2025. (Patrick Keely via REUTERS) 5/20The weekend forecast had called for rain, with a flood watch upgraded to a warning overnight Friday for at least 30,000 people.. A drone view shows the swollen San Gabriel river, in Georgetown, Texas, U.S. July 5, 2025. (Adam Grumbo via REUTERS) 6/20Damaged trees and debris lay on the bank Guadalupe River on July 5, 2025 in Center Point, Texas. Heavy rainfall caused flooding along the Guadalupe River in central Texas with multiple fatalities reported. (Getty Images via AFP) 7/20Two women survey the damage caused by flash flooding on the bank Guadalupe River on July 5, 2025 in Center Point, Texas. (Getty Images via AFP) 8/20A large truck is impaled onto a tree after flash flooding on the bank Guadalupe River on July 5, 2025 in Center Point, Texas. (Getty Images via AFP) 9/20Clean up crews clear debris from a bridge that spans over the Guadalupe River on July 5, 2025 in Center Point, Texas. (Getty Images via AFP) 10/20Texas Game Wardens and local law enforcement carry the body of a flood victim from the banks of the Guadalupe River during recovery operations on July 5, 2025 near Hunt, Texas. (Getty Images via AFP) 11/20A drone view shows flooded houses, following torrential rains that unleashed flash floods along the Guadalupe River in San Angelo, Texas, U.S., June 4, 2025. (Patrick Keely via REUTERS) 12/20Authorities still have not said how many people were missing beyond the children from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along a river in Kerr County where most of the dead were recovered. (Patrick Keely via REUTERS) 13/20A helicopter flies over the Guadalupe River on July 5, 2025 in Center Point, Texas. (Getty Images via AFP) 14/20A clean up crew worker takes a break after clearing tree debris that was lodged into the side of a building next to the Guadalupe River on July 5, 2025 in Center Point, Texas. (Getty Images via AFP) 15/20Debris sits in the Guadalupe River after flash flooding damaged nearby buildings on July 5, 2025 in Center Point, Texas. (Getty Images via AFP) 16/20People climb over a large tree that was uprooted by flash flooding in Louise Hays Park next to the Guadalupe River on July 5, 2025 in Kerrville, Texas. (Getty Images via AFP) 17/20A large truck is impaled onto a tree after flash flooding on the bank Guadalupe River on July 5, 2025 in Center Point, Texas. (Getty Images via AFP) 18/20Onlookers point out damaged trees and debris after flash flooding in Louise Hays Park next to the Guadalupe River on July 5, 2025 in Kerrville, Texas. (Getty Images via AFP) 19/20Kerrville resident Herb Betts observes flood damage along the banks of the Guadalupe River near Ingram Warrior Stadium on July 5, 2025 in Kerrville, Texas. (Getty Images via AFP)
Hindustan Times
05-07-2025
- Climate
- Hindustan Times
Texas floods: What caused the deadly Kerr County storm which left 27 dead, dozens missing?
At least 27 people, including nine children, have been confirmed dead in Kerr County, after flash floods swept through central Texas on Friday morning, reported Reuters. The flash floods, which submerged roads, homes, and summer camps in a matter of hours, left dozens still missing, many of them were young girls from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp located near the rapidly rising Guadalupe River. Flash floods in central Texas have led to at least 27 fatalities, including nine children, with many still missing, particularly from Camp Mystic. Patrick Keely/via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES.(Patrick Keely via REUTERS) According to the report, authorities have said that nearly 23 to 25 campers are still unaccounted for, with rescue teams working around the clock. Over 800 residents were evacuated as helicopters, drones, and tactical vehicles navigated through flooded terrain to locate survivors. According to another ABC news report, officials shared that they rescued 237 people so far. Also Read: 'A true miracle': Texas man rescues 22-year-old woman clinging to tree after being washed away by deadly floods | Watch What caused the Texas flash flood? The Reuters report stated that although severe weather forecasts and a flood watch were issued on Thursday, the actual rainfall overwhelmed expectations. The US National Weather Service had warned of heavy rain in west and central Texas, but the volume was unprecedented, which led to the Guadalupe River rising nearly 29 feet in just under two hours, levels unseen since a similar disaster in 1987. City manager of Kerrville, Dalton Rice, told the news outlet that everything happened quickly and that even with radar, the disaster could not be predicted. Officials did not have time to issue preemptive evacuation orders. This left many stranded in the early hours of Friday. Meanwhile, Texas Division of Emergency Management director W Nim Kidd told ABC that the weather service had predicted three to six inches of rain in Concho Valley and four to eight inches of rain in Hill County, but the total exceeded the estimates. Also read: Texas flash floods: 27, including 9 children, dead; search operations on for missing girls Central Texas flash floods echo of the past The event has drawn comparisons to the 1987 Guadalupe River flooding, when 10 teenagers drowned after their church camp bus got caught in rising waters. Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly had previously told the media about the eerie similarity of the two devastating incidents. Acting Governor Dan Patrick and President Donald Trump expressed condolences. The president, as per Reuters, said that he and Melania were praying for the families impacted by the 'horrible tragedy'. The federal government has pledged full support in ongoing rescue and recovery operations. FAQs What is causing the Texas floods? The Texas floods were primarily caused by torrential rain from slow-moving thunderstorms and a rapid surge in water levels of the Guadalupe River. Where are the girls missing in Texas? Nearly 23 to 25 girls are reported missing from Camp Mystic, a private Christian summer camp located in Kerr County, Texas, near the Guadalupe River. What is the reason why the Texas flood is coming? The flood is a result of a combination of factors, including intense and prolonged rainfall, geographical features that promote rapid runoff, and the saturation of the ground from previous weather conditions.
