President Declares Disaster for 12 Counties After Texas Floods

President Obama declared a disaster on 11 June 2016 for the 12 counties affected by recent floods in Texas.

The declaration means that federal disaster aid will be made available to the State of Texas to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by severe storms and flooding that began on 26 May, 2016, and still continue in some areas.

The president’s action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Austin, Brazoria, Brazos, Fort Bend, Grimes, Hidalgo, Hood, Montgomery, San Jacinto, Travis, Waller, and Washington counties. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated counties can begin applying for assistance tomorrow by registering online at DisasterAssistance.gov

Federal funding also is available to the state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency protective measures. Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

As many as 15 people have now died in floods in Texas since the heavy rain began on 26 May. Six deaths had been reported between 26 and 30 May . Since then a tragic military training accident in Fort Hood has left a further 9 people dead.

This disaster declaration comes just a few weeks after President Obama granted declared a federal disaster for the counties of Fayette, Grimes, Harris, and Parker after the major “Tax Day” floods of 18 April.