They also renewed focus on the US government's ability to warn and protect residents from weather catastrophes. The intense rainfall and flash floods are the deadliest weather disaster in the US since President Donald Trump's administration conducted mass staff cuts at two key weather and climate agencies : the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Organisation (NOAA) and its subsidiary,

HUNT, Texas (AP) — Crews used backhoes and their bare hands Wednesday to dig through piles of debris that stretched for miles in the search for more than 160 people believed to be missing in the flash floods that laid waste to state’s Hill Country.