On July 11, President Donald Trump made a visit to Kerrville to engage with first responders and officials in the aftermath of the devastating July 4 floods that resulted in the loss of at least 119 lives. The federal disaster aid has been extended to additional counties, and there has been commendation for Texas' emergency response efforts amid increasing demands for enhanced flood warning systems.
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President Donald Trump met with first responders and local leaders in Kerrville a week after catastrophic flooding destroyed Central Texas during the July 4 weekend, vowing continuing federal support and calling the tragedy one of the worst he has experienced.
The Guadalupe River rose swiftly in a "one-in-a-thousand-year" flood that killed at least 119 people and left many missing in the Hill Country. There were thousands of damaged or destroyed homes and businesses.
Trump added Burnet, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Menard, San Saba, Tom Green, Travis, and Williamson counties to the federal disaster proclamation before landing in Texas. These residents are now eligible for FEMA's temporary housing, rebuilding, and public infrastructure recovery programs.
Trump stated, “The search for the missing continues” at a Kerrville roundtable with state and local authorities. “These workers are amazing. They work like no one else.”
Trump said the federal government is “doing everything in its power” to aid recovery and prevent repeat tragedies, vowing FEMA would take “historic action” moving ahead.
Trump called a reporter “evil” for questioning whether flood alerts came too late in Texas. Governor Greg Abbott repeated a similar approach earlier in the week, emphasizing “solutions” rather than blame.
"We had no reason to believe the outcome would be anything like what happened here," stated Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly.
The National Weather Service issued multiple warnings and declared a flash flood emergency for Kerr County at 4 a.m. on July 4. Many residents said they did not get the alerts. In response, lawmakers propose state-funded warning sirens along flood-prone waterways.
Rep. Drew Darby said the Guadalupe River Valley needs hardwired, automated sirens that trigger as water rises. “The state must fund this.”
Abbott has scheduled a July 21 special legislative session to address natural disaster preparedness and early warning infrastructure.
“This was a tragedy no one saw coming,” Trump remarked. The president believes that Texas will rebuild and will support them throughout.
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