Texas Floods Kill 129, Devastate Central Texas, Economic Toll Expected Over $18 Billion

The catastrophic Texas floods around July 4-5, 2025, resulted in at least 129 deaths, including many children, with hundreds still missing and economic damages estimated between $18 billion and $22 billion. Despite early flash flood watches by the National Weather Service, Texas Public Radio faced criticism for delayed and insufficient public warnings, while private media and emergency systems actively issued alerts. NBC correspondent Morgan Chesky, reporting from his flooded hometown of Kerrville, highlighted the personal impact and resilience of local communities amid the disaster. National TV coverage of the floods was extensive, with networks like CNN and MSNBC incorporating climate change discussions that linked the disaster to broader systemic and governmental issues, although some outlets like Fox News downplayed climate's role. The Trump administration's cuts to federal agencies like the National Weather Service and FEMA have been noted as factors undermining disaster preparedness and response capacity. Meteorological analysis revealed challenges in forecasting the exact rainfall amounts and locations, complicating public awareness efforts despite clear warnings of potential extreme flooding.