Latest news with #TDEM
The Hill
5 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Texas flooding unpredictable, unmanageable, state emergency management chief says
The flood disaster that struck Texas over Independence Day weekend was beyond the state's ability to predict or fully manage, the state emergency management chief told the legislature on Wednesday. 'People are going to ask, 'Well, what did you know that nobody else knew?'' Nim Kidd, head of the Texas Department of Emergency Management (TDEM), told the state's Select Committees on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding during a special session, after weeks of state and national criticism of the disaster response. His agency, Kidd said, 'didn't know anything that nobody else knew. The science is just not there yet.' The committee hearing was held in the wake of the disaster that killed 135 Texans across more than two dozen counties, and in his opening remarks, chair and state Sen. Charles Perry (R) set the parameters of the state's investigation. The committee, he said, 'will not armchair quarterback or attempt to assign blame. To do so and undermine the very goal in the committee's creation.' Instead, he said, 'the goal of our committee is to find constructive policy solutions' to head off future loss of life. That disclaimer came amid a storm of criticism of the local, state and federal response to the disaster, which ultimately killed 135 Texans across more than two dozen counties. Despite early allegations from TDEM that federal forecasts were inaccurate, current and former NWS forecasters have repeatedly argued that the state had enough information to know a disastrous storm was emerging over Central Texas. And while Texas state officials such as Kidd and Gov. Greg Abbott (R) have repeatedly praised the response of the federal government, the Trump administration is under fire too after a series of articles in national media indicated that deep cuts to staff at the Federal Department of Emergency Management and a new process requiring approval for every expenditure over $100,000 — in an agency that routinely deals in the billions — had slowed down both rescues and aid. Those cuts also led to the departure of regional NWS officials — such as the Austin-based 'warning coordinator' who took early retirement in April — specifically charged with making sure local officials are kept abreast of developing threats. Texas Democrats including Rep. Joaquin Castro have argued these cuts could play a role in the confused situation on the ground in Kerr County, where officials took until more than an hour and a half after floods reached 'emergency' levels to send out cell-phone notifications. Climate change is prompting a significant rise in deadly natural disasters, but the panel opened with the assumption that the flooding was more like a one-off. Perry, describing a 9-mile high rain cloud pouring off a million gallons per minute onto the spiderweb of creeks and ravines across Central Texas, called it a '500 year-plus event.' The 'freak' nature of the disaster — a fast-emerging 'rain bomb' condensing over the Hill Country out of the churning remnants of Tropical Storm Barry — made it 'an absolute perfect storm,' KHOU meteorologist Pat Hammond said in a video Perry played for the committee. 'We need to we also should have a deliberate conversation about the credentialing of emergency managers at the local level.' The problem with such a storm, Hammond said, is that it 'really pushes the science of meteorology to the limit. We are not at a point yet where we can pinpoint exactly where these other storms are going to pop up and where that flooding is going to happen.' That ambiguity, he added, meant there was no way to identify where individual flash flooding can happen 'pretty much until it's starting to happen.' That's an area the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association has been working on through the Severe Storms Laboratory (SSL) — and that President Trump's budget request would cut, former SSL head of research Alan Gerard told The Hill. On the chopping block, Gerard said, are programs to develop tolls that 'would let us tell a community three to six hours in advance that there's a high probability of the type of intense rainfall that will cause a significant flash flood.' As things were, Kidd told the committee, his department knew enough to pre-position resources but it was caught stretched over an area the size of Indiana, waiting for a disaster that ended up being far more localized. As of the day before the disaster, Kidd said, 'We had no idea where rain would fall, but we knew that there was moisture in the atmosphere throughout Thursday.' In a beat-by-beat recounting of National Weather Service (NWS) updates, Kidd said that the warnings his team received did not coalesce into a flash flood warning until 1:15 the morning of the floods, or a flash flood emergency — the highest level — until 4:45 a.m. 'At 5:56, I personally got the first report of people trapped on roofs,' Kidd told the committee. 'We all know what happened after that.' Three hours of lead time is unusually good for a flash flood — twice what many jurisdictions get, former NWS forecaster Brian LaMarre told The Hill, though he emphasized that the fact that the warnings came overnight played a big role in the ultimate disaster. Once the scale of the disaster became clear, Kidd said, the department was swamped by the response. At the height, he told the committee, the state had 2,700 employees on the ground — and more than six times as many volunteers, a number that swamped the ability of the state to manage them. During the response, he said that he found clear areas of literal communication breakdown: the San Antonio Fire Department's radios didn't work, 'so they had some really cheap Chinese radios they were talking to each other on. Ultimate authority in the crisis, he added, had rested with local officials. 'I always say we are responsible — we are not in charge. The responsibility of being in charge rests with local officials.' With that in mind, Kidd said, the state 'also should have a deliberate conversation about the credentialing of emergency managers at the local level.' Under statute, he said, those officials can be 'whoever the county judge, whoever the mayor appoints,' regardless of their experience. 'We're better than that,' he said.
Globe and Mail
10 hours ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Standard Uranium Announces Results of High-Resolution TDEM Survey at the Corvo Uranium Project, Northern Saskatchewan
Twenty-Nine Kilometres of Prospective Conductor Strike Length Confirmed Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 23, 2025) - Standard Uranium Ltd. (TSXV: STND) (OTCQB: STTDF) (FSE: 9SU0) (" Standard Uranium" or the " Company") is pleased to provide a summary of positive results from an airborne Time Domain Electromagnetic (" TDEM") survey completed on its 12,265-hectare Corvo Uranium Project (" Corvo", or the " Project") earlier this year. The Project is currently under a three-year earn-in option agreement with Aventis Energy Inc. (" Aventis") (CSE: AVE). Highlights: Refined EM Conductors: The modern TDEM dataset confirms and improves previously defined EM conductors on the Project, outlining 29 kilometres of prospective exploration strike length across the Project. Multiple high-priority target areas along the conductors have been identified based on overlapping historical geochemical surveys, sampling, and existing drill hole uranium intercepts. Integrated Target Development: The results of the recent airborne TDEM survey are currently undergoing further digital processing and modeling to prioritize target areas for inaugural drilling in 2026. Maiden Drill Program: A diamond drill program is being planned for Q1 2026 to begin testing targets developed and ranked through the detailed exploration and geophysical programs executed in 2025. "Upgrading and confirming the presence of conductive corridors across the Project is an ideal first step in our exploration efforts at Corvo. Along with the recently completed prospecting and sampling program this month, we've confirmed the presence of at least 29 kilometres of conductive stratigraphy as well as multiple radioactive occurrences at surface," commented Sean Hillacre, President & VP Exploration of Standard Uranium, "We look forward to receiving our prospecting assay results as we complete the first NI 43-101 report on the Project and plan our next phase of geophysical surveys building towards targets for the 2026 drill program." To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: Corvo - 2025 Exploration Summary From February 22 to March 16, 2025, the Company contracted Axiom Exploration Group Ltd. in partnership with New Resolution Geophysics to carry out a helicopter-borne Xcite™ TDEM and total field magnetic survey over the 12,265-hectare Corvo Project. The survey covered all 13 mineral claims of the Project, totalling 1,670.5 line-kms with a traverse line spacing of 100 m and tie-line spacing of 1,000 m over a ~122.65 km 2 area. The helicopter-assisted survey was flown using the 30Hz Xcite™ TDEM system that simultaneously collects time domain electromagnetic, and magnetic data. The extensive survey was aimed to detect, locate, and characterize anomalous conductive and magnetic responses across the Corvo Property to aid in future exploration drill hole targeting. The survey was completed on schedule, on budget, and successfully gathered high-resolution data to depth that will be key to identifying exploration targets under glacial cover through the delineation of conductive trends possibly related to packages of graphite and/or sulphide-bearing metasedimentary rocks commonly associated with uranium mineralization. Subsequent inversion, interpretation, and modeling of the recently acquired data in 3D software will allow the Company to prioritize newly identified exploration targets for follow-up diamond drilling programs. The survey results confirm and improve upon the previously defined conductive corridors on the Project that overlap with historical geophysical and geochemical anomalies, in addition to drill holes with known uranium intercepts. The magnetic survey component of the TDEM survey contributes to definition of potential fault systems and structural trends not previously identified across the Project. Supplementary geophysical surveys are being designed to further refine drill targets for an inaugural drill program. The Company plans to complete a high-resolution ground gravity survey across the main conductive trends on the Project, aiming to identify potential hydrothermal alteration halos which could be related to basement-hosted uranium mineralization. From July 4 to July 16, 2025, the Company's technical team completed a detailed mapping, prospecting, and sampling program to ground-truth historical uranium showings at surface. Collected grab samples have been transported to Saskatchewan Research Council Geoanalytical Laboratories in Saskatoon, SK for geochemical analysis. Results will be released and incorporated into the first NI 43-101 technical report on the Project. The Company believes the Project is highly prospective for the discovery of shallow, high-grade basement-hosted uranium mineralization akin to the Rabbit Lake deposit and the recently discovered Gemini Mineralized Zone. Located just outside the current margin of the Athabasca Basin, Corvo boasts shallow drill targets with bedrock under minimal cover of glacial till. Several outcrop showings of mineralized veins and fractures are present on the Project, notably the Manhattan Showing that returned historical sample results up to 59,800 ppm U at surface 1 and has never been drill tested. Figure 2. Summary map showing modern TDEM conductor traces on the Corvo project with Reduced to Pole (RTP) Total Magnetic Intensity (TMI) in the background. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: *The Company considers uranium mineralization with concentrations greater than 1.0 wt% U 3 O 8 to be "high-grade". **The Company considers radioactivity readings greater than 300 counts per second (cps) to be "anomalous". Qualified Person Statement The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed, verified, and approved by Sean Hillacre, President and VP Exploration of the Company and a "qualified person" as defined in NI 43-101. Historical data disclosed in this news release relating to sampling results from previous operators are historical in nature. Neither the Company nor a qualified person has yet verified this data and therefore investors should not place undue reliance on such data. The Company's future exploration work may include verification of the data. The Company considers historical results to be relevant as an exploration guide and to assess the mineralization as well as economic potential of exploration projects. Any historical grab samples disclosed are selected samples and may not represent true underlying mineralization. References About Standard Uranium (TSXV: STND) We find the fuel to power a clean energy future Standard Uranium is a uranium exploration company and emerging project generator poised for discovery in the world's richest uranium district. The Company holds interest in over 233,455 acres (94,476 hectares) in the world-class Athabasca Basin in Saskatchewan, Canada. Since its establishment, Standard Uranium has focused on the identification, acquisition, and exploration of Athabasca-style uranium targets with a view to discovery and future development. Standard Uranium's Davidson River Project, in the southwest part of the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, comprises ten mineral claims over 30,737 hectares. Davidson River is highly prospective for basement-hosted uranium deposits due to its location along trend from recent high-grade uranium discoveries. However, owing to the large project size with multiple targets, it remains broadly under-tested by drilling. Recent intersections of wide, structurally deformed and strongly altered shear zones provide significant confidence in the exploration model and future success is expected. Standard Uranium's eastern Athabasca projects comprise over 42,384 hectares of prospective land holdings. The eastern basin projects are highly prospective for unconformity related and/or basement hosted uranium deposits based on historical uranium occurrences, recently identified geophysical anomalies, and location along trend from several high-grade uranium discoveries. Standard Uranium's Sun Dog project, in the northwest part of the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, is comprised of nine mineral claims over 19,603 hectares. The Sun Dog project is highly prospective for basement and unconformity hosted uranium deposits yet remains largely untested by sufficient drilling despite its location proximal to uranium discoveries in the area. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the timing and content of upcoming work programs; geological interpretations; timing of the Company's exploration programs; and estimates of market conditions. Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements contained herein. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Certain important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are highlighted in the "Risks and Uncertainties" in the Company's management discussion and analysis for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2024. Forward-looking statements are based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company at this time, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies that may cause the Company's actual financial results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied herein. Some of the material factors or assumptions used to develop forward-looking statements include, without limitation: that the transaction with the Optionee will proceed as planned; the future price of uranium; anticipated costs and the Company's ability to raise additional capital if and when necessary; volatility in the market price of the Company's securities; future sales of the Company's securities; the Company's ability to carry on exploration and development activities; the success of exploration, development and operations activities; the timing and results of drilling programs; the discovery of mineral resources on the Company's mineral properties; the costs of operating and exploration expenditures; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); uncertainties related to title to mineral properties; assessments by taxation authorities; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Any forward-looking statements and the assumptions made with respect thereto are made as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. The Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Neither the TSX-V nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX-V) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Hamilton Spectator
10 hours ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Aventis Energy Announces Results of High-Resolution TDEM Survey at the Corvo Uranium Project in Northern Saskatchewan
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Aventis Energy ('Aventis' or the 'Company') (CSE: AVE | FRA: C0O0 | OTC: VBAMF) is pleased to provide a summary of results from an airborne Time Domain Electromagnetic ('TDEM') survey (the 'Program') completed on its 12,265-hectare Corvo Uranium Project ('Corvo', or the 'Project') earlier this year. Highlights: Mandeep Parmar, Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Company, commented, 'Confirming conductive corridors at Corvo represents a crucial initial step at the Project, and we anticipate further findings in the coming months to further our understanding of the Project. Additionally, we eagerly await results from prospecting assays as we work towards completing the first NI 43-101 report on the Project. Following the receipt of our prospecting assays, we will look to prepare for the next phase of geophysical surveys aimed at identifying targets for the 2026 drilling program.' Figure 1. Regional map of the Project. The Project is located 45 km northeast of Atha Energy's Gemini Mineralized Zone ('GMZ') and 60 km due east of Cameco's McArthur River mine. Corvo – 2025 Exploration Summary From February 22 to March 16, 2025, the Company contracted Axiom Exploration Group Ltd. in partnership with New Resolution Geophysics to carry out a helicopter-borne Xcite™ TDEM and total field magnetic survey over the 12,265-hectare Corvo Project. The survey covered all 13 mineral claims of the Project, totalling 1,670.5 line-kms with a traverse line spacing of 100 m and tie-line spacing of 1,000 m over a ~122.65 km 2 area. The helicopter-assisted survey was flown using the 30Hz Xcite™ TDEM system that simultaneously collects time domain electromagnetic, and magnetic data. The extensive survey was aimed to detect, locate, and characterize anomalous conductive and magnetic responses across the Project to aid in future exploration drill hole targeting. The survey was completed on schedule, on budget, and successfully gathered high-resolution data to depth that will be key to identifying exploration targets under glacial cover through the delineation of conductive trends possibly related to packages of graphite and/or sulphide-bearing metasedimentary rocks commonly associated with uranium mineralization. Subsequent inversion, interpretation, and modeling of the recently acquired data in 3D software will allow the Company to prioritize newly identified exploration targets for follow-up diamond drilling programs. The survey results confirm and improve upon the previously defined conductive corridors on the Project that overlap with historical geophysical and geochemical anomalies, in addition to drill holes with known uranium intercepts. The magnetic survey component of the TDEM survey contributes to definition of potential fault systems and structural trends not previously identified across the Project. Supplementary geophysical surveys are being designed to further refine drill targets for an inaugural drill program. The Company plans to complete a high-resolution ground gravity survey across the main conductive trends on the Project, aiming to identify potential hydrothermal alteration halos which could be related to basement-hosted uranium mineralization. From July 4 to July 16, 2025, the Company completed a detailed mapping, prospecting, and sampling program to ground-truth historical uranium showings at surface. Collected grab samples have been transported to Saskatchewan Research Council Geoanalytical Laboratories in Saskatoon, SK for geochemical analysis. Results will be released and incorporated into the first NI 43-101 technical report on the Project. The Company believes the Project is highly prospective for the discovery of shallow, high-grade basement-hosted uranium mineralization akin to the Rabbit Lake deposit and the recently discovered Gemini Mineralized Zone. Located just outside the current margin of the Athabasca Basin, Corvo boasts shallow drill targets with bedrock under minimal cover of glacial till. Several outcrop showings of mineralized veins and fractures are present on the Project, notably the Manhattan Showing that returned historical sample results up to 59,800 ppm U at surface 1 and has never been drill tested. Figure 2. Summary map showing modern TDEM conductor traces on the Project with Reduced to Pole (RTP) Total Magnetic Intensity (TMI) in the background. *The Company considers uranium mineralization with concentrations greater than 1.0 wt% U 3 O 8 to be 'high-grade'. **The Company considers radioactivity readings greater than 300 counts per second (cps) to be 'anomalous'. Qualified Person Statement The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed, verified, and approved by Sean Hillacre, President and VP Exploration of Standard Uranium and a 'qualified person' as defined in NI 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure in Mineral Projects. Historical data disclosed in this news release relating to sampling results from previous operators are historical in nature. Neither the Company nor a qualified person has yet verified this data and therefore investors should not place undue reliance on such data. The Company's future exploration work may include verification of the data. The Company considers historical results to be relevant as an exploration guide and to assess the mineralization as well as economic potential of exploration projects. Any historical grab samples disclosed are selected samples and may not represent true underlying mineralization. References 1 SMDI# 2052: & Mineral Assessment Report MAW00047: Eagle Plains Resources Inc., 2011-2012 On Behalf of the Board of Directors Mandeep Parmar Interim Chief Executive Officer, Director +1 (604) 229-9772 info@ Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information This news release includes certain 'Forward-Looking Statements' within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and 'forward-looking information' under applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words 'anticipate', 'believe', 'estimate', 'expect', 'target', 'plan', 'forecast', 'may', 'would', 'could', 'schedule' and similar words or expressions, identify forward-looking statements or information. Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information relating to any future mineral production, liquidity, enhanced value and capital markets profile of Aventis, future growth potential for Aventis and its business, and future exploration plans are based on management's reasonable assumptions, estimates, expectations, analyses and opinions, which are based on management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, and other factors that management believes are relevant and reasonable in the circumstances, but which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, the price of uranium, copper, gold and other metals; costs of exploration and development; the estimated costs of development of exploration projects; Aventis' ability to operate in a safe and effective manner and its ability to obtain financing on reasonable terms. This news release contains 'forward-looking information' within the meaning of the Canadian securities laws. Statements, other than statements of historical fact, may constitute forward looking information and include, without limitation, statements with respect to the Project and its mineralization potential; the Company's objectives, goals, or future plans with respect to the Project; statements with respect to the Program; and the Company's anticipated exploration program at the Project. With respect to the forward-looking information contained in this news release, the Company has made numerous assumptions regarding, among other things, the geological, metallurgical, engineering, financial and economic advice that the Company has received is reliable and are based upon practices and methodologies which are consistent with industry standards. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable, these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies. Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained herein. Known risk factors include, among others: fluctuations in commodity prices and currency exchange rates; uncertainties relating to interpretation of well results and the geology, continuity and grade of uranium, copper, gold and other metal deposits; uncertainty of estimates of capital and operating costs, recovery rates, production estimates and estimated economic return; the need for cooperation of government agencies in the exploration and development of properties and the issuance of required permits; the need to obtain additional financing to develop properties and uncertainty as to the availability and terms of future financing; the possibility of delay in exploration or development programs or in construction projects and uncertainty of meeting anticipated program milestones; uncertainty as to timely availability of permits and other governmental approvals; increased costs and restrictions on operations due to compliance with environmental and other requirements; increased costs affecting the metals industry and increased competition in the metals industry for properties, qualified personnel, and management. All forward-looking information herein is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and the Company disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking information or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as required by law. The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Photos accompanying this announcement is available at
The Guardian
12-07-2025
- Climate
- The Guardian
Texas Hill Country under flood watch as search continues for missing people
Texas Hill Country was back under flood watch on Saturday, with the National Weather Service warning of 'locally heavy rainfall' of 1-3in with isolated amounts near 6in possible. The flood watch, which continues through Sunday evening, comes as the death toll from the 4 July flood continues to rise – now at nearly 130 people - and authorities continue their search for the 160 more who are missing. The latest warnings anticipate considerably less rain than what came down last week, which caused the Guadalupe River to rise 29ft in 45 minutes. The Texas division of emergency management, or TDEM, had mobilized before the storm, but their assets were not focused exclusively on Texas Hill Country. The storm alerts that were issued before and during the storm, in an area of patchy cell service, are now the subject of scrutiny. On Saturday, the Associated Press reported that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) repeatedly granted appeals to remove Camp Mystic's buildings from their 100-year flood map, loosening oversight as the camp operated and expanded in a dangerous floodplain in the years before rushing waters swept away children and counselors. Fema had included the prestigious girls' summer camp in a 'special flood hazard area' on its national flood insurance map for Kerr county in 2011, which meant it was required to have flood insurance and faced tighter regulation on any future construction projects. That designation means an area is likely to be inundated during a 100-year flood – one severe enough that it only has a 1% chance of happening in any given year. The 4 July flood was far more severe than the 100-year event envisioned by Fema, experts said, and moved so quickly in the middle of the night that it caught many off-guard in a county that lacked a warning system. Syracuse University associate professor Sarah Pralle, who has extensively studied Fema's flood map determinations, said it was 'particularly disturbing' that a camp in charge of the safety of so many young people would receive exemptions from basic flood regulation. 'It's a mystery to me why they weren't taking proactive steps to move structures away from the risk, let alone challenging what seems like a very reasonable map that shows these structures were in the 100-year flood zone,' she said. Pralle told the AP that some of the exempted properties were within 2ft (0.6 meters) of Fema's floodplain by the camp's revised calculations, which she said left almost no margin for error. She said her research shows that Fema approves about 90% of map amendment requests, and the process may favor the wealthy and well-connected. Experts say Camp Mystic's requests to amend the Fema map could have been an attempt to avoid the requirement to carry flood insurance, lower the camp's insurance premiums or pave the way for renovating or adding new structures under less costly regulations. Sign up to Headlines US Get the most important US headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning after newsletter promotion In a statement, Fema downplayed the significance of the flood map amendments to the AP: 'Flood maps are snapshots in time designed to show minimum standards for floodplain management and the highest risk areas for flood insurance. They are not predictions of where it will flood, and they don't show where it has flooded before.' While Texas officials and Donald Trump have been resistant to questions about any failures to forewarn of the impending flood – questions that have largely been put to one side as local and state recovery teams, along with thousands of volunteers, work in and alongside the river to find the missing – the Washington Post reported that Kerr county had the technology to turn every cellphone in the river valley into a loud alarm. But the mass notification system, known as the Integrated Public Alert & Warning System, or Ipaws, was not activated and emergency managers in the county relied on a series of text messages for alerts. Trump visited the area on Friday, telling first responders that he and Melania Trump, the first lady, were there to 'express the love and support and anguish of our entire nation'. 'So all across the country, Americans' hearts are shattered,' he said. 'We're filled with grief and devastation. It's the loss of life and, unfortunately, they're still looking.' Trump said two things had struck him: the 'unity' of Texans and the 'competence' of those responding to the disaster. 'Everyone has just pulled together, it's rare that you see this,' he said.
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Federal assistance approved for additional counties impacted by flooding
AUSTIN (KXAN) — On Friday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved Gov. Greg Abbott's request to add additional counties to President Trump's major disaster declaration related to the July 4 flooding. This comes after, on Thursday, Abbott directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) request that Burnet, San Saba, Tom Green, Travis, and Williamson counties be added to the disaster declaration. Abbott's press office said four counties, Kendall, Kimble, Menard, and San Saba, were also approved for FEMA's public assistance program. LIVE BLOG: Search for missing continues as Texas community grieves 'President Donald Trump approved my request to add more counties to his disaster declaration, which will provide critical assistance to Texans and communities impacted by the devastating flooding,' said Governor Abbott. 'There has been extraordinary collaboration with the state and the federal government to make sure that we address Texans' needs as quickly as possible through disaster assistance programs. According to the press release, after the completion and verification of damage assessments, Texans in Burnet, Kerr, San Saba, Tom Green, Travis, and Williamson are eligible for FEMA's individual assistance program. FEMA has also approved its public assistance program, including assistance for emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities for Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Menard, and San Saba, according to Abbott's press office. Additionally, the major disaster declaration allows businesses to apply for the U.S. Small Business Administration disaster loan program for physical and economic losses for counties approved for individual assistance. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
