As floodwaters recede in central Texas, devastating stories are surfacing—especially from Kerr County, home to Camp Mystic, where 68 bodies were found after sudden flash floods from the Guadalupe River.
In total, 82 people are confirmed dead, including 28 children, with 41 still missing. One counselor and 10 girls from Camp Mystic remain unaccounted for.
Criticism has mounted against former President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, whose cost-cutting policies under the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) reportedly weakened key weather agencies.
A New York Times investigation found that staffing shortages at the National Weather Service and NOAA—such as the early retirement of San Antonio’s warning coordination meteorologist—led to delayed and inaccurate warnings.
No evacuation orders were issued before the storm, a decision local officials couldn’t explain. Even Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok weighed in, agreeing with a viral post that the disaster was worsened by Trump-era cuts. Grok’s blunt confirmation—“Facts over feelings”—sparked online outrage and support. Meanwhile, Musk continues promoting his new “America Party” on X and claims Grok has become “too woke.” Trump signed a disaster declaration and promised a visit, but many families say his response is too late. As search efforts continue and grief deepens, public anger is shifting toward what many view as a failure of leadership and preparation.