Meet one of the men searching for bodies after tragic Texas floods
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24 minutes ago
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Rosie O'Donnell Blames Trump's ‘Horrible Decisions' for Texas Floods
Comedian Rosie O'Donnell believes President Donald Trump's 'horrible decisions' are to blame for the flash floods in central Texas that have killed at least 70. 'What a horror story in Texas,' O'Donnell, who moved to Dublin, Ireland, earlier this year after Trump was re-elected, said in a TikTok video posted Sunday. 'When the president guts all of the early warning systems and the weathering forecast abilities of the government, these are the results that we're going to start to see on a daily basis.' The Department of Government Efficiency had previously cut hundreds of jobs at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Service (NWS) in its effort to cut government spending earlier this year. The NWS lost around 600 staffers at the time, according to a June report from The New York Times. 'It's because he put this country in so much danger by his horrible, horrible decisions and this ridiculously immoral bill that he just signed into law,' O'Donnell, whose feud with Trump dates back to 2006, continued. 'As Republicans cheered, people will die as a result and they've started already.' 'Shame on him … Shame on every GOP sycophant,' she concluded. Catastrophic flooding first struck central Texas on July 4 after torrential rains caused the Guadalupe River to rise around 26 feet within just 45 minutes. The surge washed out roads and destroyed property across six counties. Texas Emergency Management Chief W. Nim Kidd bemoaned inaccurate forecasts from the NWS in a press conference Friday, saying that 'the original forecast that we received Wednesday from the National Weather Service predicted 3-6 inches of rain in the Concho Valley and 4-8 inches in the Hill Country.' 'The amount of rain that fell at this specific location was never in any of those forecasts,' he said. The president has since issued a Major Disaster Declaration prompting the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to be activated in Texas. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem has also indicated that alongside emergency, on-ground support, the White House is also 'currently upgrading the technology' at the NWS and NOAA 'to renew this ancient system that has been left in place with the federal government for many, many years.' 'I do carry your concerns back to the federal government and to President Trump, and we will do all we can to fix those kind of things that may have felt like a failure to you and to your community members,' Noem continued. 'We know that everybody wants more warning time, and that's why we're working to upgrade the technologies that been neglected [for] far too long.'
Yahoo
an hour ago
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9 Day Forecast: Heavy rain threats throughout week in El Paso area
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — A Weather Authority Alert has been triggered for a number of threats that are present this week including heavy rainfall, localized flooding, strong gusty winds, and blowing dust. Saturday night, heavy rainfall and chances for severe storms are on the radar between 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Winds will blow 10-15 mph from the east with gusts near 20 mph. Blowing dust in some areas will be likely. Threats will clear out just before midnight as the storm system exits the region. Sunday, heavy rain threats remain. Chances for showers and thunderstorms are likely after 3 p.m. The high will be near 95 with winds blowing 5-10 mph with gusts near 20 mph. Similar conditions are in store for Monday with a cooler high in the low 90s. Storm chances present themselves just after noon and will last through midnight. Temperatures remain around average for Tuesday and Wednesday in the upper 90s, with light winds and chances for showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon to evening. Thursday and Friday, threats for heavy rain chances increase with the potential for thunderstorms in the evening. Highs will be near 95 with lows around 75. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
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Multiple fatalities reported in Tropical Storm Chantal flooding in North Carolina
Multiple people died in central North Carolina after Tropical Storm Chantal brought a deluge of rain and flooding to the area on July 6, according to officials. The Raleigh-Durham area saw nearly 12 inches of rainfall in 24 hours, while neighboring areas reported at least nine inches, according to the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. The influx of rain caused flooding in several areas including Alamance, Chatham, Moore, Orange and Person counties, according to the Citizen Times. Chantal was downgraded to a tropical depression by July 7, but was still dumping rain across the mid-Atlantic. North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein said at a news conference on July 8 that officials from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services were still working to confirm the total number of fatalities from the flooding, but that there are "a handful of reported deaths to date." The NCDHHS said it does not currently have verified information on storm-related deaths but referred USA TODAY to local law enforcement. The North Carolina Department of Emergency Management told USA TODAY in a statement that the state's emergency response team "is aware of potential fatalities linked to Tropical Storm Chantal as reported by law enforcement" and is awaiting reviews from the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Here's what we know. In Chatham County, which is just west of Raleigh, three people died in the floods, officials confirmed to USA TODAY. Sandra Portnoy Hirschman, 83, of Pittsboro, North Carolina, died around 11:30 p.m. local time on July 6 when her car became submerged in water, Steve Newton, Chatham County's emergency management director, told USA TODAY. Two individuals who went boating on Jordan Lake around 5 p.m. on July 6 also died, Newton said. One boater was recovered on July 8, while the second individual was found July 9 — both are awaiting positive identification from the medical examiner's office, Randall Rigsbee, Chatham County Sheriff's Office public information officer, told USA TODAY. Monica Butner was driving to work in Hillsborough, North Carolina, on the evening of July 6 when her car got stuck in floodwater, the Orange County Sheriff's Office said in a release. The 58-year-old called 911 around 10:30 p.m. local time amid the heavy rainfall, but the call disconnected, OCSO said. Firefighters soon located her unoccupied car. First responders found Butner dead around 5 p.m. on July 7. Officials said she was "almost completely obscured by fallen trees and debris approximately 120 yards downstream from her vehicle." 'The devastating power of stormwater caused Ms. Butner's tragic death, despite the heroic efforts of searchers and the work of the top-notch professionals at Emergency Management who coordinated the incoming resources," Sheriff Charles Blackwood said in the release. "I am grateful to everyone who assisted with this search, and I offer my condolences to all affected by this tragedy.' In Alamance County, two people died under the jurisdiction of the Alamance County Sheriff's Office, Byron Tucker, public information officer, confirmed to USA TODAY. Hajar Hassib, 23, of Graham, North Carolina, was reported missing in Graham and later found dead in the flooding, Tucker said. James Michael Parcell, 71 of Haw River, North Carolina, was also found dead after being reported missing to ACSO. Both were "a result of swift water across the roadway," and found within miles of each other, Tucker said. Parcell's obituary said he died in a car accident. Known as Mike, Parcell "lived life to the fullest" and "always found a way to make you laugh," according to his obituary. USA TODAY has reached out to Gov. Stein's office for more information. This story has been updated with additional information. Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tropical Storm Chantal flooding in NC kills multiple people
