Part 8/12:
President Trump declared a federal disaster and plans to visit the affected area, where search and rescue operations are ongoing. Among the responders, Petty Officer Scott Ruskin, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer, has gained recognition for evacuating 165 survivors in perilous conditions—barefoot, soaked, and in pajamas—demonstrating extraordinary bravery.
Questions are being raised about the lack of timely flood warnings, as local authorities in Kurville only learned about the imminent disaster hours before it struck. Senator Ted Cruz called for a comprehensive review of Texas’s emergency alert systems to better protect vulnerable populations in future storms. With additional storms forecasted, authorities warn that further flooding could threaten already devastated communities.