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Musk’s AI Tool Implicates DOGE Data Cuts In Texas Flood Deaths
CENTRAL TEXAS, JUL 6 – Staff cuts by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency reduced National Weather Service staffing by nearly 20%, leading to underestimated rainfall and delayed flood warnings linked to at least 43 deaths.
On early July 4, Texas flash floods killed at least 43 people, including 28 children, with Musk’s AI tool Grok linking DOGE staffing cuts to forecast failures.
Early 2025 DOGE staff reductions, removing about 20% of NWS personnel, likely weakened flood forecasting capacity before July 4 Texas floods.
Forecasts underestimated rainfall, predicting 3–8 inches while 10–15 inches fell, and a flash flood emergency was issued at 1:14 a.m. on July 4, highlighting prediction errors.
Ongoing search efforts are still underway as 11 campers and 1 counselor from Camp Mystic remain missing, while 38 adults and 21 children have been recovered, highlighting the tragedy's human toll.
Proposed 2026 NOAA budget plans further cuts, prompting calls for investigation into NWS staffing vacancies and plans to hire new meteorologists to improve forecasts.