Gov. Greg Abbott has expanded the state’s severe weather disaster declaration to pull two more coastal counties into the storm response. Victoria and Calhoun counties were added Thursday, which moves them into the state’s formal emergency response and damage assessment pipeline. That unlocks state resources and kicks off the kind of detailed damage surveys that can support future requests for federal aid. Officials are telling residents to treat their receipts and photos like gold so losses are fully counted.
Governor Abbott updated the state's disaster declaration to include Victoria and Calhoun counties after severe storms impacted the coast.
— Governor Abbott Press Office (@GregAbbott_TX) May 7, 2026
What the governor announced
The governor’s office said the existing statewide disaster declaration for severe weather now explicitly includes Victoria and Calhoun counties, with preliminary damage assessments underway to see if the state meets thresholds for more federal help. Governor Abbott Press Office noted that “additional counties may be added as conditions warrant,” so the map could still grow.
Damage assessments and federal aid
Abbott instructed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to ask the U.S. Small Business Administration to join those preliminary damage assessments, a bureaucratic mouthful that basically speeds up figuring out which communities qualify for low-interest disaster loans and other federal programs. Texas Division of Emergency Management officials say they are reviewing damage reports Texans are sending in through the state’s Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool. The iSTAT damage survey lets residents upload photos and details to back up those numbers.
Local impacts along the Guadalupe
National Weather Service reports show minor flooding along the Guadalupe River near Bloomington, with flood warnings in place for parts of Victoria and Calhoun counties earlier in the week. Flood statements pointed to lowland inundation that could swamp secondary roads and low-lying properties, a reminder of why state teams are focusing on river and coastal corridors in their early passes. For the latest safety updates and river forecasts, check the National Weather Service.
Next steps for residents
Preliminary assessments will keep rolling until state and federal teams finish their initial review, and officials say more counties could be added if survey data shows broader damage. Residents who took a hit are urged to document everything, keep receipts for repairs, and submit reports through the iSTAT tool so their losses are reflected in state tallies. For immediate shelter and safety questions, local emergency managers remain the go-to, with broader recovery resources expected to be posted once assessments are wrapped up.
