Amid the continued havoc wreaked by flooding in Texas, Governor Greg Abbott has stepped up calls for federal aid, directing the Texas Division of Emergency Management to push for an expansion of President Donald J. Trump’s Major Disaster Declaration to cover more counties. Already reeling from the disaster, five more counties - Burnet, San Saba, Tom Green, Travis, and Williamson - have been requested to be eligible for individual FEMA assistance programs, according to an official statement. In addition, requests are in for four counties - Kendall, Kimble, Menard, and San Saba - to receive public assistance, according to the Office of the Texas Governor.
In a statement obtained by the Office of the Texas Governor, Abbott said, "The State of Texas continues to stand with those impacted by the devastating flooding across the state." He added that Texas would deploy "all available resources and support to help those impacted until the job is done." Damage assessments have indicated that these counties do indeed meet the federal criteria required to be considered for such aid.
Texans who have been afflicted by the floods and meet the program's qualifications might find some financial relief in sight. Given the widespread damage, Texans can apply for assistance online at disasterassistance.gov or via phone by calling 800-621-3362. Further support comes from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Loan Program, which caters to physical and economic losses for those areas where Individual Assistance has been cleared for take-off, as detailed by the Office of the Texas Governor.
On Sunday, President Trump approved Governor Abbott's request for a Major Disaster Declaration for Kerr County after last week's severe flooding. This allows residents to apply for grants to help with repairs and recovery. Governor Abbott has promised strong support and is taking steps to make sure Texas responds effectively to the flooding.
