36 More Texas Counties Declared Disaster Areas Amid Flooding

AUSTIN, TEXAS — The governor on Friday added 36 more Texas counties to a previously declared disaster area in the wake of historic flooding this week.

After receiving a briefing from the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) and multiple state agencies, Gov. Greg Abbott decided to expand the disaster area that just days ago was limited to 18 counties. Abbott said his decision to expand the disaster zone by three dozen more counties was based on the ongoing nature of storm formations and the aftermath of this week's flooding.

“With so many already seriously impacted by the rain and flooding across the state and as severe weather is expected to continue, it is very important that Texans monitor the ongoing threats and heed warnings from local officials,” Abbott said in a press briefing. “We will continue deploying state resources across all regions to make sure local officials have what they need to address these challenges as quickly as possible. Texas will work with local and federal officials to ensure all the needs of these affected communities are adequately and swiftly addressed.”

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Abbott staged a press conference to announce the expanded disaster area. The official declaration sets the stage for residents in the affected regions to be eligible for government-issued recovery aid.

Counties added in the updated disaster declaration are: Bandera, Bastrop, Baylor, Blanco, Brown, Burnet, Callahan, Cameron, Coleman, Colorado, Comanche, Eastland, Edwards, Erath, Fayette, Gillespie, Hamilton, Haskell, Hidalgo, Hood, Jim Wells, Jones, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Kinney, Lampasas, La Salle, Liberty, Live Oak, Llano, Madison, Mason, McMullen, Mills, Nolan, Nueces, Palo Pinto, Parker, Real, San Jacinto, San Patricio, San Saba, Shackelford, Somervell, Stephens, Taylor, Throckmorton, Travis, Uvalde, Walker, Willacy, Williamson, and Zavala.

For good measure, Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt on Thursday issued her own disaster declaration for Travis County on the heels of Abbott's original 18-county version. The move was to reiterate the need for available for state and federal aid benefiting residents who with destroyed or damaged property in the floods' wake.

Flooding conditions left in the wake of this week's heavy rains prompted the governor to previously declare an 18-county region as a disaster area. Travis and Williamson counties were included in the disaster area iteration along with Bastrop, Burnet, Colorado, Fayette, Hood, Jim Wells, Kerr, Kimble, La Salle, Live Oak, Llano, Mason, McMullen, Nueces, Real and San Patricio counties.

Read the Governor’s full updated State Disaster Declaration.

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>>> Top photo: View of the rain-swollen Colorado River from the MoPac Expressway (Loop 1), just west of Zilker Park, early afternoon on Friday, Oct. 19, 2018, by Tony Cantú/Patch staff.