Intro

The floods in Texas earlier this month swept away entire homes and holiday camps, claiming more than 130 lives. As authorities try to piece together how it happened, conspiracy theories have flourished, with some social media users blaming the government for causing the extreme weather event. Guardian contributor Ben Makuch tells Reged Ahmad why so many – including elected representatives – are turning to misinformation in an attempt to understand the tragedy Texas death toll reaches 134 as new flash flood watch issued