I’m totally speculating, and from very far away, but I’m wondering if the press remembers how stupidly they repeated every wild rumor about deaths from Katrina, and are trying to be more responsible this time, hence the lack of reports until actual facts are known. That kind of professionalism would raise my low opinion of them slightly.
They’re not reporting them because Texas officials are simply outright refusing to discuss the matter with the press. After Katrina, *I* wouldn’t discuss it with them either.
I think the TX officials are just all saying, we don’t know, and won’t talk about it until we do, more than the press thinking they’ve been fools in the past.