AUSTIN, TX — The governor on Monday issued a disaster declaration for 29 Texas counties — including Travis County — in repsonse to Tropical Storm Beta.
The storm is expected to make landfall Monday evening, and has already caused storm surge and damaging winds. The storm now has the potential to cause widespread flooding as it continues its approach on the Texas Coast.
Counties included in this Disaster Declaration include Aransas, Bee, Bexar, Brazoria, Calhoun, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Hardin, Harris, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kleberg, Liberty, Live Oak, Matagorda, Nueces, Orange, Refugio, Sabine, San Augustine, San Patricio, Shelby, Travis, Victoria, and Wharton.
“As Tropical Storm Beta approaches the coast, I urge Texans in the path of the storm to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions to keep themselves and their loved ones safe from flooding, storm surge, and other impacts from this severe weather,” Gov. Greg Abbott said in a prepared statement. “The State of Texas is working closely with local officials on the ground to provide the resources our communities need to respond to Tropical Storm Beta and keep residents safe.”
While it’s unclear what kind of impact the storm will have on Travis County, motorists are urged to visit ATXfloods.com to see a list of closed low-water crossings in areas prone to flooding.
A disaster declaration is typically issued to facilitate the process of securing state and federai resources ahead of time to aid residents impacted by natural disasters. Like the other counties listed in the declaration, Travis is historically susceptible to flooding in many parts of its landscape.
