Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) has raised concerns over staffing shortages at the National Weather Service (NWS) following catastrophic flooding in Kerr County that killed at least 59 people, including 21 children.
While Castro said he couldn’t “conclusively” blame missing personnel for the lack of warnings in the region, he emphasized that vacancies are problematic. “I don’t think it’s helpful to have missing key personnel,” he said, calling for further investigation into the issue.
The Trump administration previously enacted layoffs that left key NOAA offices in Texas understaffed. Houston’s office lacks its top three managers, and Austin-San Antonio remains without a “warning coordination meteorologist.”
Castro stressed the importance of the NWS, particularly during events like flash floods. “Not having enough personnel is never helpful,” he added.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said he believes some local weather alerts were issued despite the federal gaps.
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