Olivia Troye - No Sirens. Just Darkness and Floods.

Before we go any further, let me say this: behind every number is a human being. These aren’t just statistics, they’re children, parents, grandparents. Loved ones. Writing this wasn’t easy. Over the last few days, my emotions have swung between heartbreak and fury. What happened in Texas wasn’t just a natural disaster. It was a preventable tragedy. The more I dug into the failures, at every level of government, the angrier I became. Because I want a system of governing, from local to national, that protects all of us, not just the lucky, the wealthy, or the politically aligned. I spent most of my career working inside that system, and I believe in doing everything we possibly can to keep Americans safe.

My home state is underwater.

The Texas Hill Country just endured a catastrophic flood, one of the worst in our history. Over a foot of rain fell in six hours. The Guadalupe River surged more than 26 feet above flood stage. Cabins at Camp Mystic were swept away in the dead of night. Helicopters rescued campers. Over 170 people are still missing, and the death toll has climbed to 119. Governor Greg Abbott has warned both numbers may continue to rise. This isn’t just a storm. It’s a policy failure and a warning for every community in the country. Towns across America are experiencing severe flooding, from North Carolina to California, and just this week, Ruidoso, New Mexico, a place I often visited while growing up in the southwest.

Imagine being a parent, jolted awake in the blackness of night by the roar of floodwaters. Your phone didn’t ring. The alert never came. By the time headlights flicker through the rain, it’s already too late. That’s what happened in Kerrville, Ingram, and Hunt. The National Weather Service (NWS) issued alerts on Thursday afternoon, but it wasn’t until early morning hours that the urgent flash-flood warnings raised the risk of catastrophic damage and severe threat to life. Kerrville’s mayor said it plainly: “We didn’t even have a warning.” This tragedy reflects a warning system under pressure, stretched thin by rising climate threats, and now facing questions about the timing and effectiveness of its early morning alerts.

https://www.livingitwitholiviatroye.com/p/no-sirens-just-darkness-and-floods