Texas Gov. Abbott announces approval of disaster assistance for 17 counties after Hurricane Beryl

Additional counties are pending, Abbott says

FILE - Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during a news conference, June 8, 2021, in Austin, Texas. On Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024, an order blocking enforcement of a Texas law, which Abbott signed into law in 2023, requiring vendors to evaluate and rate the sexual content of books they sell, or have sold, to schools has been upheld by a federal appeals court. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File) (Eric Gay, Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has announced that the United States government has updated its major disaster declaration for Hurricane Beryl to include 17 counties eligible for FEMA’s individual assistance program.

Residents in the following Texas counties are now eligible for assistance: Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, Nacogdoches, Orange, Polk, San Jacinto, Walker, and Wharton.

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Texans can apply for FEMA disaster assistance online at disasterassistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362.

“This approval to include 17 counties for FEMA assistance is a crucial step forward to help Texans and communities recover and rebuild after Hurricane Beryl,” said Gov. Abbott. “We continue working with our federal, state, and local partners to assess damages as part of Texas’ ongoing response to ensure all necessary resources, funding, and assistance are available to support impacted communities. Texans who sustained damage to their home or business are encouraged to report it using the Texas Division of Emergency Management’s iSTAT damage survey to help determine if counties are eligible for financial assistance. I thank all the state and local officials, emergency response personnel, and first responders who continue to work tirelessly to help their fellow Texans in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl.”

The assistance program helps to fund expenses such as temporary housing, emergency home repairs, uninsured and underinsured personal property losses, disaster legal services, disaster unemployment assistance, and medical, dental, and funeral expenses.

Texas may request additional counties for federal assistance after damage estimates are completed in impacted communities, the press release said.

To date, Texas has distributed more than 3,677,000 bottles of water, more than 472,800 ready-to-eat meals, and more than 127,700 bags of ice to communities impacted by Hurricane Beryl.

On Sunday, Abbott will receive a briefing and hold a press conference on the state’s ongoing response and recovery efforts for Hurricane Beryl from Houston. The press conference will take place at 12:15 p.m.


About the Author

Ben Spicer is a digital journalist who works the early morning shift for KSAT.

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