WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump visited the storm-ravaged state of Texas one week after it was hit by devastating floods, assuring support for ongoing relief and recovery efforts.
During his visit, President Trump pledged assistance to help the state recover from the disaster. However, his delayed visit has drawn sharp criticism from political opponents, activists, and sections of the media, who argue that timely presidential presence could have signaled stronger federal commitment during the initial days of the crisis.
President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, visited the flood-affected regions of Texas to review ongoing relief and recovery efforts.
During the visit, he met with government officials involved in rescue operations as well as families of those who lost their lives in the disaster.
Speaking to the media, President Trump expressed shock at the scale of destruction. “I’ve never seen anything like this. I’ve witnessed many storms in the past, but nothing of this magnitude,” he said.
When asked about the lack of early warning systems, the President dismissed such concerns and instead praised the performance of federal and local agencies for their swift response and coordination.
The federal government has released the first installment of $4 billion in aid to Texas, with more support expected in the coming weeks as recovery operations continue.
The death toll in the US state of Texas has increased to 121 due to torrential rains and floods.
Monsoon rains in Texas caused a flood situation, which reported casualties and financial losses in the state.
According to media reports, the death toll from stormy rains and floods in different parts of the state has increased to 121 while 169 missing children were rescued, but many people are still missing for which rescue operation is underway.
In addition to the human and environmental toll, preliminary assessments estimate that the storm caused between $18 billion to $22 billion in damage to infrastructure across Texas.
