Texas Flooding Update: Governor Abbott on Response, Recovery, and State Aid

Flood Response and Declared Disasters

• 🚨 Governor Abbott has declared 21 counties as disaster areas due to widespread storms impacting lives, homes, and infrastructure across Texas.
• ⚠️ Additional communities, including those near Yubaldi, Del Rio, and Concan, are being prepared for potential challenges from ongoing and anticipated weather.
• 🎯 The primary focus remains on saving lives, protecting residents, and locating those who have been lost.

Rescue Efforts and Fatalities

• 🏊 Dozens of people were rescued by first responders due to extreme rushing waters in areas like Williamson and Travis Counties.
• 💔 A total of 131 fatalities have been reported statewide, with specific numbers for Travis (9 lost, 3 missing), Bernie (4 lost, 1 missing), and Williamson (3 lost, 0 missing) counties.
• 🔍 The search for missing individuals is a 24/7 operation, with efforts including swift water rescue, aviation, K9 searches, and drone teams.

Infrastructure Damage and Rebuilding

• 🌉 Significant infrastructure damage has occurred, including the Big Sandy Creek Bridge, where the center of the bridge was displaced by powerful floodwaters.
• 🛠️ The Texas Department of Transportation is working 24/7 to design and rebuild the Cow Creek bridge, with a target construction period of 60 days, including incentives to reduce the timeframe.
• 🚧 Road impacts have been significant, with 49 roads affected in the past 24 hours, many closed due to high water or damage.

Statewide and National Support

• 🤝 Americans are praying for, caring for, and helping Texas, with 25 other states providing resources for response and rebuilding efforts.
• 🇺🇸 The response highlights unity, with red and blue states assisting fellow Americans in times of crisis.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Texans are demonstrating unity and mutual support, with over 13,000 volunteers actively helping in affected communities.

Disaster Declarations and Assistance

• 📜 Six counties are in the federal declaration for individual assistance (Burnett, Kerr, San Saba, Tom Green, Travis, Williamson), with disaster recovery centers opening.
• 💰 Public assistance is available for 10 counties under the president's disaster declaration, covering emergency response costs and debris removal.
• ⚡ The state is working to streamline FEMA processes to ensure faster access to much-needed resources for response and recovery efforts.