Mr. Trump said his administration was working with state and local officials and that Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem would be arriving in Texas shortly. DHS oversees the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Experts said the NWS did a good job warning about the flooding, but questions remain about whether the cuts played a role.

More than 850 people have been rescued by emergency responders. Many of the stories have been astonishing: A Coast Guard swimmer saved 165 people at the summer camp; a 22-year-old woman was rescued after being swept 20 miles downriver and clinging to a tree overnight; and a young girl was found after floating on a mattress for hours.

Search efforts continue for a fourth day as a girls' summer camp confirms 27 children and staff are dead, with 10 campers and one counsellor unaccounted for.