Failing to translate flood forecasts into timely messages that tell people what they need to do to stay safe can have tragic consequences. In Texas and elsewhere, the solution is more wide-ranging than fixing any single channel of communication.

Most of the country was blanketed by yellow rain and thunderstorm warnings, with the Met Office saying this could bring flash flooding, power cuts and disruption to travel. But the flooding forecast for London and south-east England on Saturday morning did not occur.

Slow-moving storms could bring up to 11 inches of rain, raising the risk of flash floods on Sunday, particularly in Illinois and Indiana, forecasters said.