Texas Governor Abbott Announces Approval of Disaster Assistance for 17 Counties Following Hurricane Beryl

AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced that the U.S. government has updated its major disaster declaration for Hurricane Beryl to include 17 counties eligible for FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program.

Residents of the following Texas counties are now eligible for assistance: Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, Nacogdoches, Orange, Polk, San Jacinto, Walker and Wharton.

Texans can apply for FEMA disaster assistance online at disasterassistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362.

“This approval to include 17 counties in FEMA assistance is a critical step in helping Texans and communities recover and rebuild from Hurricane Beryl,” Governor Abbott said. “We continue to work with our federal, state, and local partners to assess damage as part of Texas’ ongoing response to ensure all necessary resources, funding, and assistance are available to support impacted communities. Texans who have suffered damage to their homes or businesses are encouraged to report it using the Texas Division of Emergency Management’s iSTAT Damage Survey to help determine if counties are eligible for financial assistance. I thank all state and local officials, emergency response personnel, and first responders who continue to work tirelessly to help their fellow Texans in the wake of Hurricane Beryl.”

The assistance program helps fund expenses such as temporary housing, emergency home repairs, loss of uninsured or underinsured personal property, disaster legal services, disaster unemployment assistance, and medical, dental and funeral expenses.

Texas may request federal assistance from additional counties once damage assessments are completed in affected communities, the news release said.

To date, Texas has distributed more than 3,677,000 bottles of water, more than 472,800 ready-to-eat meals, and more than 127,700 bags of ice to communities impacted by Hurricane Beryl.

On Sunday, Abbott will receive a briefing and hold a press conference on the state’s ongoing response and recovery efforts following Hurricane Beryl in Houston. The press conference will take place at 12:15 p.m.