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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called for a special session Wednesday to consider legislation to improve warning systems and emergency response in flood-prone areas throughout the state.
The declaration comes days after more than 100 people died, and nearly 200 people went missing in the July 4 flood of Texas Hill Country.
Floods caused by excessive rain near the Guadalupe River wiped out people and homes from multiple counties early Friday morning. Officials said the river had risen nearly 30 feet within 45 minutes.
Crews are working Saturday in Ingram, Texas, to remove debris from the Cadeloop Bridge along the Guadalupe River. (Rodolfo Gonzalez/AP photo)
Severe Weather Emergency Warning: How to Get a Voice Phone Alert
Following the disaster that killed 27 campers at the Riverfront Youth Camp, citizens criticised the apparent lack of prior notice.
The National Weather Service (NWS) said the warning remained “moderate,” but the notification was expanded about 12 hours before the tragedy.
Workers will dig into wreckage searching for survivors and ruins blown away by flash floods at Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas. (Jim Vondruska/Getty Images)
Floods on the Texas River find emergency crews race and others are missing. The camp has been evacuated
Abbott specifically called for new legislation to improve early warning systems and other readiness infrastructure, strengthen emergency communications and other response infrastructure, provide relief funding, and evaluate and streamline rules and regulations to promote preparation and recovery for natural disasters.
Other laws, although independent of flooding, are included in declarations surrounding agriculture, taxes, abortion, human trafficking, crime and public safety, elections and constituencies, and hemp-derived products.
Fatal Texas Flood Exposes “Ignored” Weather Warning System Trump seeks to modernize
Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Christy Noem, in a press conference on Saturday, addressed the obstacles to flood notifications, claiming that the administration is working to update the “ignore” and “ancient” systems of the National Weather Service and NOAA.
Noem has vowed to upgrade weather service technology, which she has described as “neglected for too long” in order to ensure “as advanced notifications as possible.”
She added that reforms are ongoing, but did not provide a timeline.
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Skeptics argued that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) workforce declines following Government Efficiency (DOGE) spending cuts, making an upgrade less likely.
Democrats previously claimed that more than 880 NOAA workers had been fired, but spokespersons did not confirm a specific number.
Alexandra Koch is a Fox News digital journalist covering Breaking News, focusing on impactful events that shape public conversations and impact government responses.
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