· 2 min read
illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Washington Post or enjoy below:
🗞️ Driving the news: At least 161 people remain missing and 109 are confirmed dead after catastrophic floods swept through Central Texas over the July 4 weekend, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced on Tuesday
• Torrential rains caused rivers to overflow, inundating campgrounds and residential areas, with dozens of children among the dead
• Abbott described the event as one of the deadliest floods in U.S. history, surpassing the toll of Hurricane Harvey
🔭 The context: Central Texas, particularly the Hill Country, is historically prone to flash flooding due to its geography and dense river network
• However, the intensity and suddenness of last week’s rainfall overwhelmed existing alert systems, exposing gaps in disaster preparedness and communication
• Lawmakers in Texas had debated a statewide flood monitoring and preparedness plan earlier this year, but the legislation stalled in the state Senate
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: This tragedy highlights the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events linked to climate change, which amplifies rainfall and flood risks
• As populations in vulnerable regions grow, the need for adaptive infrastructure, early warning systems, and resilient planning becomes more urgent
• The Texas floods underscore the human cost of delayed policy action and inadequate risk mitigation
⏭️ What's next: President Trump has signed a disaster declaration for Kerr County, with a visit to the flood zone planned for Friday
• In Texas, Governor Abbott is expected to add flood preparedness legislation to the July 21 special legislative session
• State lawmakers will also hold hearings to examine shortcomings in the emergency response
• Search and rescue efforts continue, with helicopters deployed to locate missing persons, while the death toll is expected to rise
💬 One quote: “We will not stop until every missing person is accounted for,” Abbott pledged at Tuesday’s briefing, calling the destruction “beyond anyone’s comprehension right now”
📈 One stat: The Texas Hill Country has already recorded more than 109 flood deaths — making this one of the deadliest U.S. flood events in over 50 years
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