"There has been a lot of misinformation flying around lately, so let me clarify: the Texas Department of Agriculture has absolutely no connection to cloud seeding or any form of weather modification," Miller said in a statement.

Chris Hayes pushes back on right-wing claims that questions about the Texas flood response are "politicizing" the tragedy. "Policy is about risk and managing it and accountability. The government is there first and foremost to protect us.

In the early hours of Independence Day, rain pelted sleeping communities in central Texas. No one knew yet how devastating the storm would become.

Flooding is the deadliest natural disaster facing Oklahomans, a threat far greater than tornadoes. In the United States, flooding kills an average of 103 people a year. Tornadoes, however, caused 48 deaths on average during the same period, according to the National Weather Service.

"It's sadly common for people to abandon puppies near public areas where they hope someone might find them," the rescue told Newsweek.

Some regions in the mid-Atlantic are also facing risks of flooding. On Sunday, Tropical Storm Chantal flooded parts of North Carolina, where more than 10 inches of rain fell near the Chapel Hill area. The Haw River, near Bynum, North Carolina, crested to nearly 22 feet, the highest crest on record there, as a result of those heavy rains.

Thunderstorms have led to flight delays and cancellations at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. See flight status.

"A lot of the weather forecast offices now are not operating at full complement of staff," said the former lead of NOAA.

Former federal officials and outside experts have warned for months that President Donald Trump’s staffing cuts to the National Weather Service could endanger lives.

Climate change was likely a factor in the flood that devastated the Texas Hill Country.