Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed major disaster declarations Friday for 88 counties affected by recent severe storms and catastrophic flooding, including Central and East Texas regions. According to Abbott’s office, the declarations were issued under state law due to threats of widespread damage, injury, and loss of life, with additional counties potentially added as conditions evolve.
Governor Greg Abbott issued the disaster declarations under Section 418.014 of the Texas Government Code, which authorizes the governor to declare a disaster when conditions threaten widespread damage, injury, or loss of life, according to Abbott’s office. The declarations cover two major flooding events: one affecting 59 counties across Central Texas and another impacting 29 counties in East Texas. Officials noted that additional counties may be added as flooding conditions continue to evolve.
The 59-county declaration, issued in response to severe storms and flash flooding beginning July 13, includes counties such as Travis, Bexar, Bastrop, Burnet, Caldwell, Galveston, and Fort Bend, among others, according to state records.
The East Texas flooding declaration covers counties including Harris, Montgomery, Navarro, Tarrant, and Walker, with damage reported to homes, businesses, and agricultural areas, officials said.
Abbott renewed and amended prior disaster proclamations on March 18, 2026, in Austin, extending coverage to additional counties such as Bandera, Guadalupe, Hamilton, Kerr, Maverick, and Uvalde. The updated declarations authorize the use of all available state and local resources, including personnel, equipment, and financial support, under Section 418.017 of the Texas Government Code, state emergency management officials confirmed.
As part of the disaster response, Abbott directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to maintain 24-hour operations at the State Operations Center at “Level II – Escalated Response” to coordinate statewide support, according to TDEM communications. These operations include deploying rescue teams, law enforcement, and infrastructure repair crews to assist local governments in affected areas.
Residents in impacted counties were urged to report damage to homes, businesses, and agricultural property through the Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool (iSTAT), officials said. State agencies also advised the public to monitor official platforms such as TexasFlood.org for flood risk updates, DriveTexas.org for road conditions, and TexasReady.gov for preparedness information.
The National Weather Service warned of moderate to major river flooding across the eastern half of Texas, with flooding expected to persist for several weeks following the declarations, according to weather service forecasts cited in state documents. Severe weather conditions, including flash flooding, large hail, damaging winds, and possible tornadoes, were forecast through the weekend after the declarations, officials said. State authorities emphasized the importance of monitoring local forecasts, avoiding flooded roadways, and maintaining emergency supplies.
In coordination with federal authorities, Abbott announced that President Donald J. Trump approved a federal Major Disaster Declaration for flooding in the Texas Hill Country. This federal declaration makes residents of Kerr County eligible for FEMA Individual Assistance, including grants for temporary housing and home repairs, with the possibility of additional counties being added, according to federal and state officials. FEMA also authorized Public Assistance for Kerr County to cover emergency work and repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities.
Following the state disaster declarations, Abbott requested that Hamilton and Travis counties be added to the federal Major Disaster Declaration to align federal and state coverage, a request that was approved by federal officials, according to the governor’s office and TDEM. This update expands federal assistance to additional flood-impacted communities.
Abbott described the expanded disaster declarations as “a request for a federal disaster declaration” and “the first step in a process” to secure ongoing federal aid. He specifically named Bexar, Burnet, Caldwell, Guadalupe, Travis, and Williamson counties among those newly included in the flooding disaster request. Abbott emphasized that the state would continue adding counties as damage reports increased and flood conditions changed.
The flooding disaster declarations build on a series of emergency actions dating back to a July 4, 2025, disaster proclamation addressing heavy rainfall and flooding that began July 2, 2025. That proclamation was amended and renewed in March 2026 to extend coverage and response efforts. The ongoing declarations reflect the state’s efforts to coordinate local, state, and federal resources to address widespread flooding damage, injury risks, and loss of life across Texas, officials said.
