Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issues disaster declaration for 19 counties

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has issued a disaster declaration for 19 counties in response to Nicholas. Liberty and Wharton Counties were added to the disaster declaration on Sept. 14 in response to the damage caused by Nicholas.

The counties included in the disaster declaration are Aransas, Brazoria, Calhoun, Chambers, Galveston, Harris, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Matagorda, Montgomery, Newton, Nueces, Orange, Refugio, San Patricio, Liberty, Wharton and Victoria. The state will add additional counties as needs are identified. 

On Sunday, the Governor ordered the Texas State Operations Center (SOC) to increase its readiness to Level II (Escalated Response) beginning this morning at 9:00 AM central. On Saturday, Governor Abbott readied resources to assist local communities impacted by this storm. The following resources are activated:

  • Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (Texas A&M Task Force One): 6 Swift Water Rescue Boat Squads and 8 Overhead Packages.
  • Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: Game Warden Boat Teams.
  • Texas Military Department: 5 Ground Transportation Platoons With High Profile Vehicles.
  • Texas Department of State Health Services: Texas Emergency Medical Task Force (EMTF) Severe Weather Packages.

The following actions and resources have been rostered for potential activation if needed:

  • Texas A&M Forest Service: Saw Crews and Incident Management Teams.
  • Texas Department of Transportation: Monitoring Road Conditions And Prepositioned Water-Filled Barriers.
  • Texas Department of Public Safety: Texas Highway Patrol Search And Rescue Aircraft and The Tactical Marine Unit.
  • Public Utility Commission: Power Outage Monitoring And Coordination With Utility Providers.

Governor Abbott urges Texans to remain vigilant about the lingering Tropical Storm and the dangers of flooding. "We are not yet in the clear," he said.

The Governor is also urging Texans who have been affected by Hurricane Nicholas to complete the Self Reporting Damage Survey to help the state identify damages to private homes and businesses and to assist emergency management officials assess the damages that occurred. This data will determine if the state of Texas and our communities meet federal thresholds for disaster assistance. The voluntary survey, available in both English and Spanish, can be accessed by visiting damage.tdem.texas.gov. Reporting damage to TDEM is a voluntary activity, is not a substitute for reporting damage to an insurance agency, and does not guarantee disaster relief assistance.

"The State of Texas is working alongside local officials to ensure that our communities have the resources and support they need to recover from the impact of Hurricane Nicholas," said Governor Abbott. "I am also urging Texans who experienced damages to complete the Self Reporting Damage Survey so the state can identify impacts and better serve our communities."