By John Q. Hosedrinker 
Four days after devastating flash floods along the Guadalupe River in Texas, over 160 people remained missing, according to Governor Greg Abbott. The majority of those unaccounted for were in Kerr County, where recovery efforts were underway, and officials had set up a hotline for families seeking information. Questions arose about the lack of warnings prior to the floods, particularly in the Hill Country, which is known as “flash flood alley” and where numerous youth camps and campgrounds are located. Authorities prioritized victim recovery over an investigation into the timing of their response, as search and rescue teams and volunteers continued the search for survivors.
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Texas governor says more than 160 people are still missing after deadly floods. This is just a gut punch, isn’t it? You hear the news, and it’s just… a lot. It’s difficult to wrap your head around, the scale of the missing.
The fact that the governor is delivering this news via a text message he received from someone else, even if it’s a high-ranking official, feels bizarre. It just adds to this sense of disconnect. And then, you start thinking about the events leading up to this tragedy, and it becomes even more disheartening.
Local leaders, we are told, have been talking about the need for a warning system for years. Years! There was a nearly $1 million grant application, specifically for this sort of thing. It was rejected. That’s just mind-boggling. There are so many ways this could have been avoided.
I mean, the amount of water is just insane. The river rose at an astonishing rate, and the sheer force of it must have been terrifying. The impact of these floods is hard to imagine; you can watch the videos and it’s really sobering. It all happened so quickly, catching people completely off guard while they were asleep. That’s the worst part.
I am reminded of how there are people downplaying the tragedy. It’s disheartening to read comments about how maybe they didn’t pray hard enough, or it’s somehow the fault of a specific political party. The level of denial and victim-blaming is just…wow. There seems to be a significant amount of anger being directed at the government for offering help in the first place. This refusal to accept funds from the current administration because of their political affiliation is beyond frustrating.
This isn’t just about the floods; it’s about the systemic issues. The cuts to funding, the denial of climate change, the prioritization of political ideology over the safety and well-being of the community… it’s all connected. And now, more than 160 people are missing. It is devastating.
There are reports, if the sources are true, that funds were specifically turned down for this kind of safety plan simply because the money came from a particular political party. The idea that people would risk the lives of others because of political differences is just wrong. It’s baffling.
What’s truly tragic is the sheer preventability of this whole situation. So many things could have been done to mitigate the risk, to warn people, to save lives. But, based on this information, the steps weren’t taken. And now, people are paying the price. There is no comfort in the wake of this disaster.
It’s a sobering reminder of the consequences of inaction, of shortsightedness, and of the corrosive effects of extreme political polarization. The thought of children, of families, of entire communities being impacted by this is beyond comprehension. These people will be in my thoughts and it is hoped that the number of missing will soon be updated to show those that have been rescued and reunited with their loved ones.