Trump sees devastation from Texas floods in visit to state
president
Donald Trump
in
Texas
on Friday viewed firsthand the devastation left by extreme flooding that killed at least 120 people and left scores still missing in the state's Hill Country region, seeking to reassure residents of the federal response to the disaster.
The president met with local officials and emergency workers in hard-hit Kerr County, where he received a briefing, accompanied on his visit by first lady
Melania Trump
and Texas governor Greg Abbott. Mr Trump surveyed the damage in a helicopter flight and then was shown what appeared to be a map of the flood-damaged area.
The scale of the destruction was evident — with Mr Trump and the first lady standing in front of an overturned tractor trailer and amid downed trees, a testament to the force of the deadly, ravaging floodwaters which tore through the community.
'It's a horrible thing, a horrible thing. Nobody can even believe it, such a thing — that much water, that fast,' Mr Trump told reporters earlier Friday as he left Washington. 'We're going to be there with some of the great families and others, the governor, everybody.'
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US president Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump sit with Texas governor Greg Abbott as they attend a roundtable meeting with local officials and first responders at the Happy State Bank Expo Hall in Kerrville, Texas, on Friday. Photograph: Brendan Smialowski/AFP
The deaths from the disaster include children who had been attending a girls' summer camp located near the Guadalupe River, where high waters swept away cabins, bridges and roads. Camp Mystic said it had lost 27 campers and counselors in the deluge.
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Texas flooding disaster reveals America's frightening weather and deep political divisions
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Officials in Kerr County, where the bulk of the deaths occurred, say the dead included 36 children and 60 adults. Around 160 people remain missing. The statewide death toll is expected to mount as rescuers continue to search through debris for those missing.
Local, state and federal officials have been under intense scrutiny in the days following the flash flood over their initial response, particularly over how a county prone to floods lacked warning sirens and whether forecasts were accurately conveyed to local residents in a timely manner.
Some Democrats have also raised questions about what impact the Trump administration's federal staffing cuts, including to the National Weather Service, may have had in the disaster.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt earlier this week denounced the criticism as 'depraved and despicable,' and said the National Weather Service 'provided early and consistent warnings.' The White House has maintained the cuts to the workforce did not affect the response to the flash flood.
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A rescuer's tale at Camp Mystic, Texas: terrified girls, helicopters and a harrowing scene
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Mr Trump signed a disaster declaration on Sunday for Kerr County. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has said the US Coast Guard had been deployed to assist in search and rescue efforts and the Federal Emergency Management Agency has sent resources to assist first responders in the state. Ms Noem visited the state on Saturday and appeared alongside Mr Abbott.
Mr Abbott has called a special legislative session and several agenda items are related to the floods, including flood warning systems and natural disaster preparedness. Texas Lt Gov Dan Patrick said the state would pay for warning sirens in rural districts that can't afford them.
In an telephone interview with NBC News released on Thursday night, Mr Trump said 'after seeing this horrible event, I would imagine you'd put alarms up in some form.' - Bloomberg
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