US President Donald Trump has travelled to Texas to visit areas devastated by flash floods, as scrutiny intensifies over the emergency response to one of the country’s deadliest natural disasters in recent years.
Trump and First Lady Melania Trump flew by helicopter to the Hill Country in central Texas on Friday, where they met first responders, families, and local officials.
The trip came a week after heavy rainfall triggered catastrophic flooding, leaving at least 120 people dead, including dozens of children.
Touching down in Kerrville — the hardest-hit city in Kerr County — Trump was greeted by Texas Governor Greg Abbott.
Local officials say at least 96 people have died in the area, and more than 170 remain missing.
"We're going to be there with some of the great families" of the victims, Trump told reporters before leaving Washington, calling the disaster a "terrible thing."
Rescue teams have continued searching through debris and mud along the banks of the Guadalupe River, but no live rescues have been reported for several days, raising fears the death toll may climb further.
Trump has faced questions over the impact of his administration’s budget cuts on federal emergency agencies.
He described the flooding as a "100-year catastrophe" that "nobody expected."
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the official response, calling it "swift and efficient."
But state and local officials have come under pressure over reported delays in sending evacuation warnings to residents and tourists.
Speaking to NBC News by phone on Thursday, Trump said: "After having seen this horrible event, I would imagine you'd put alarms up in some form, where alarms would go up if they see any large amounts of water or whatever it is."
He added: "The local officials were hit by this just like everybody else."
FEMA questions
The floods have also reignited debate over the future of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which began its response after Trump signed a major disaster declaration last weekend.
Noem, speaking at a government review meeting on Wednesday, said FEMA should be "eliminated" in its current form — a proposal that has drawn concern amid the ongoing rescue efforts.
In Kerr County — part of a region known as "Flash Flood Alley" — officials confirmed that at least 36 children were among those killed.
The floods struck at the start of the Fourth of July holiday weekend, devastating summer camps along the Guadalupe River.
Camp Mystic, one of several affected, reported 27 deaths among its staff and campers.
Details have emerged about reported delays in alerting residents. ABC News reported that an early request to warn the town of Hunt at 4:22 am on July 4 was not acted on until more than an hour later.
In some areas, evacuation alerts reportedly didn’t reach the public until after 10:00 am — when many had already been swept away.
Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha confirmed he was first notified of emergency calls between 4:00 and 5:00 am. Experts say forecasters issued timely warnings, but the alerts were not delivered effectively at the local level.
