Gov. Greg Abbott has issued a major disaster declaration for Uvalde and nearly 30 other Texas counties after catastrophic flooding slammed the region this week.
In a news conference on July 17, the state leader said that after surveying the flood event’s aftermath by air, and then on on land, that the damage to Uvalde looks worse on the ground than it does in the air.
“The fact of the matter is Uvalde was hit very, very hard, but the community and the people in this community are strong and resilient,” Abbott said. ” As one official in the room behind me put it in the briefing: He said that ‘We are rougher than mother nature.”
As of Friday, July 17, the state’s death toll remains at two individuals.
The major disaster declaration will open the door to federal relief to help rebuild the region, Abbott said. It includes 28 counties that have been hardest hit by flood waters. More counties may be added as recovery efforts continue.
Abbott pointed out that the Uvalde community is surrounded by four rivers, which continue to pose a major threat to the community, particularly along the Nueces River. Although the worst of the rainfall is now over, flood waters will continue to rise as they travel downstream near residents across the county, which the governor said “almost became an island” due to surging river levels.
The Texas Department of Transportation working to repair and rebuild roads impacted by the heavy rains and fast moving floods.
Abbott thanked local leaders and first responders for their rescue efforts. State crews rescued 270 people and in the Zavala and Uvalde efforts, local crews rescued more than 300 people.
Currently, about 125 people remain in shelters across Uvalde County.
“Our paramount goal is to make sure nobody else loses their life,” Gov. Abbott said.