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Abbott Rejects Blame for Flood Devastation and Orders Probe of Alert Failures

Lawmakers will investigate breakdowns in emergency alerts to guide installation of warning sirens alongside river gauges

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signs and holds up an disaster declaration proclamation as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, left, looks on during a press conference about recent flooding along the Guadalupe River, Saturday, July 5, 2025, in Kerrville, Texas.
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Overview

  • At least 110 people are confirmed dead and 161 remain missing after renewed flash floods surged over flood stages on July 4
  • A presidential disaster declaration has mobilized FEMA and Coast Guard resources to bolster overwhelmed responders in Kerr County
  • At a Kerr County news conference, Gov. Greg Abbott dismissed questions of blame as the “word choice of losers” and urged a solution-focused approach
  • Kerr County was denied a $1 million grant from the Texas Emergency Preparedness Department for flood warning upgrades, intensifying scrutiny of state funding
  • State leaders have convened special legislative committees to review emergency alert failures and oversee installation of sirens and upstream river gauges