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

A plume of Saharan dust is expected to arrive over the Houston area Thursday and Friday and it could reduce daily storm chances.

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.

The intense rainfall and flash floods are the deadliest weather disaster in the US since President Donald Trump's administration conducted mass staff cuts at two key weather and climate agencies : the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Organisation (NOAA) and its subsidiary, the National Weather Service (NWS).

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

As torrential rains slammed central Texas and the death toll from the resulting floods grew into the dozens over the weekend, rumors started to spread online about a sliver of good news.

A perfect storm of a slow-moving pocket of moist air, parched terrain and a hilly area prone to flash flooding unleashed absolute hell on Texas Hill Country — where more than 50 people have died, according to meteorologists.

Deadly floods like those in Texas are rare in California, but climate change-fueled storms could make them more likely, climate scientists say.