EL PASO, TEXAS (KFOX14\/CBS4) \u2014 Gov. Greg Abbott issued a state disaster declaration for El Paso County on Thursday after heavy rainfall and flooding impacted several areas of El Paso. <\/p>\n
Abbott said he issued the declaration to “ensure the full resources” of the state are available for the county as hazardous conditions may continue this week. <\/p>\n
\u201cI issued a state disaster declaration for El Paso County to ensure the full resources of the State of Texas are available to support local response and recovery after heavy rainfall and flooding,\u201d Abbott said. \u201cTexans affected by this storm should report damage through the iSTAT survey once it is safe so officials can assess needs and eligibility for federal assistance. Texans must never drive through flooded roads and should follow guidance from local officials.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to Abbott, state emergency response resources deployed by the Texas Division of Emergency Management at the governor\u2019s direction remain in place to support local response and recovery efforts. <\/p>\n
This comes after El Paso County Judge Ricardo A. Samaniego announced on Tuesday a local disaster declaration tied to recent flooding.<\/p>\n
The county experienced significant rainfall on Oct. 23 and Oct. 25, which officials said resulted in severe flooding, property damage, and the evacuation of numerous residents from their homes.<\/p>\n
With more rain expected this week, officials said concerns remain about continued flooding, land erosion and further property damage.<\/p>\n
That disaster declaration is being issued under Chapter 418 of the Texas Government Code. The county said it will activate emergency management and recovery efforts and authorize the use of available county resources to assist affected residents, protect public safety and address impacts from the severe weather.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Abbott also urged Texans affected by recent rain and flooding to report damage online, when it is safe, using TDEM\u2019s Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool, or iSTAT. The self-reporting survey is available at damage.tdem.texas.gov.<\/p>\n
Information submitted through the iSTAT survey helps emergency management officials understand the extent of damage, determine whether federal requirements for various forms of disaster assistance have been met, and identify immediate resource needs.<\/p>\n
With additional rainfall and flooding threats continuing, officials warned that hazardous conditions remain an ongoing concern. Texans were reminded to monitor local forecasts, follow guidance from emergency management officials, and never drive through flooded roadways.<\/p>\n
Flood safety information is available at TexasReady.gov. Road conditions can be checked at DriveTexas.org. Flood information is available at TexasFlood.org, and all-hazards preparedness tips can be found at tdem.texas.gov\/prepare. <\/p>\n
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