Budget Cuts To Weather Agency Linked To Tragic Loss Of 21 Children In Texas Flood

As torrential rain pummeled central Texas last week, budget cuts at the National Weather Service proved deadly. The flooding disaster claimed at least 70 lives, including 21 children. Kerr County bore the brunt of it. Thirty-eight adults and 21 children dead. And the toll’s still climbing.

Remember those “DOGE” budget cuts under Trump? They gutted NOAA and the National Weather Service. Experienced meteorologists—fired. Weather forecast offices—critically understaffed. And for what? A few dollars saved on the government’s ledger.

Budget cuts aren’t just numbers on a ledger. They’re lives sacrificed on the altar of fiscal austerity.

The Guadalupe River swelled with 38 centimeters of rainfall, creating a watery nightmare. Camp Mystic, home to 750 children for the summer, was devastated. Over two dozen children initially missing. Search and rescue teams worked overtime. More than 850 people pulled from the waters. Some were literally clinging to trees. Trees!

Former NOAA director Rick Spinrad had warned this would happen. So did countless meteorologists. “Deadly consequences,” they said. Nobody listened.

Texas officials are now pointing fingers at inaccurate and delayed forecasts. No kidding. Hard to predict killer floods when your experts have been pink-slipped. High-risk areas weren’t evacuated. Summer camps weren’t warned in time. Children paid the price.

The math isn’t complicated. Fewer meteorologists equals worse forecasts equals more deaths. But hey, at least the budget looked better on paper, right?

Similar to the funding freeze affecting tribal communities’ disaster preparedness programs, these cuts have left vulnerable populations defenseless against climate threats.

Search efforts continue despite ongoing flood threats. Seven camp children confirmed dead in early reports, with many still unaccounted for. The river rose an astounding 26 feet in 45 minutes, catching everyone off guard. Rescue operations remain challenging in fast-rising waters.

The warnings were clear. The dangers, publicized. Former NOAA officials practically begged for adequate funding. Media analysts highlighted the risks. Nobody listened until bodies started floating downstream.

Seventy dead. Twenty-one children. Eight hundred fifty rescued. All because somebody thought weather prediction wasn’t worth funding properly. Turns out accurate forecasts aren’t just convenient—they’re essential. They save lives. Especially children’s lives.

As John Donne once wrote, “no man is an island” – a tragic reminder that funding decisions made far from Texas have profound consequences for communities during natural disasters.