Gov. Abbott Signs Major Disaster Declaration for 28 Texas Counties Hit by Catastrophic Floods

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a disaster declaration on Friday, amid touring hard-hit areas of his state, viewing “pockets of devastation” in Uvalde, the town that almost became an island in the devastating flood waters.

“Driving around in Uvalde, the damage looks far 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 of this community are strong and resilient,” Abbott said during a July 17 update on the catastrophic flooding.

He signed a major disaster declaration, seeking federal relief for 28 counties that suffered the heaviest flood damage. The declaration would be on its way to President Donald Trump, he said.

Two people were killed in the flooding yesterday, Abbott noted.

Evacuation and rescue efforts focused on areas west of San Antonio. Water rescues were ongoing in several areas west of San Antonio, including Sutton, Crockett, and Zavala counties, authorities said. 

The greatest threat remains in those three counties, along with Uvalde and Dimmitt, Abbott said.

State emergency personnel aboard boats and helicopters have reported rescuing more than 270 people. Local officials in the Uvalde and Zavala regions said they have saved another 300 people.

Near Ozona, flood waters spilled over Interstate 10, and a section of a bridge over the Nueces River in Uvalde County collapsed.

Uvalde took the brunt of the flooding because four major rivers flow through the region—the Nueces, Sabinal, Frio, and Leona,

“I would say, as of right now, of those four, the one river that remains the greatest danger to this community is the Nueces River,” Abbott said.

While the rain is subsiding, the rivers are expected to continue to rise for a time due to runoff and “pose life-threatening danger to anybody near those rivers,” he said.

The storm caused catastrophic flooding in some areas, with rainfall totals topping 25 inches in the Hill Country west of Austin and South Texas, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) covering Austin and San Antonio. 

Severe flooding in Kerr County occurred within days of the first anniversary of the devastating Camp Mystic floods that killed more than 100 people, including children.

On July 17, the NWS reported that heavy rainfall was expected from Del Rio to Kerrville in the morning. 

On the bright side, the agency noted that drier conditions were expected in the afternoon, especially east of Highway 83.

Flash flood warnings were still in effect in some areas early July 17, according to an NWS Facebook post, which also warned of possible tornadoes.

A flash flood warning remained in effect for Del Rio, and flood warnings were active in neighboring counties near the towns of Sonora and Junction.

Across the Lone Star State, dramatic rescues played out, some by helicopter and some by boat, as the flooding intensified this week.

 A Texas Department of Public Safety video shows a high-water rescue of a family and their dogs from a flooded house near Uvalde. Texas game wardens saved people in a vehicle on July 14, right before it was swept away in floodwaters west of Sabinal in Uvalde County.

More than 100 roads have been washed out, making rescues and evacuations more difficult.

The state has already provided more than 2,700 personnel, more than 1,500 vehicles, more than 90 boats, and more than 20 aircraft, according to the governor.

“We are dealing with and responding to a flood that is likely going to break records,” Abbott said during a July 15 briefing.

The governor noted that he had issued a disaster declaration for 59 counties in all.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.