Governor Abbott Requests Presidential Disaster Declaration For South Texas Flooding

TEXAS, April 18 - April 18, 2025 | Austin, Texas | Press Release

Governor Greg Abbott sent a letter to President Donald Trump requesting a Presidential Disaster Declaration for South Texas communities impacted by recent rainfall and flooding. The Governor’s letter requests Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Individual Assistance programs for Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy counties. 

“Due to severe flooding and extreme weather in South Texas that caused devastating damage across the region, I requested a Presidential Disaster Declaration,” said Governor Abbott. “This Presidential Disaster Declaration will provide the critical financial assistance impacted communities need to recover and rebuild. Texans are urged to continue to self-report damages to their homes and businesses through the iSTAT damage survey to help state officials determine if additional counties meet the federal assistance requirements. I thank the Texas Division of Emergency Management for working with our local and federal partners to help Texans recover from these devastating storms.”

The request to declare a major disaster for the State of Texas comes after an initial review of damage sustained due to excessive rainfall and flooding.

If the Governor’s request for a Presidential Disaster Declaration is granted, qualifying Texans who sustained damage would be eligible to apply for Individual Assistance Program funding to assist with expenses such as temporary housing, emergency home repairs, uninsured and underinsured personal property losses, disaster legal services, disaster unemployment assistance, and medical, dental, and funeral expenses caused by the disaster.

Approval of the request would also authorize additional FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program resources statewide and would authorize the U.S. Small Business Administration Disaster Loan Program for physical and economic loss for designated counties. 

Governor Abbott continues to take action to provide all available resources to help support local communities from the impacts of flooding, including:

• Requesting local, state, and federal partners conduct joint preliminary damage assessments in affected areas
• Issuing a state disaster declaration for impacted communities
• Activating state emergency response resources ahead of storm impacts