HOUSTON — More than 120 Texas counties are under a disaster declaration ahead of Tropical Storm Beryl.
With Texas Gov. Greg Abbott out of the country on a trade mission, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is acting governor and issued the disaster declaration for 40 at-risk Texas counties on Friday. He then added 81 more on Saturday.
The first 40 counties on the list include Aransas, Atascosa, Bee, Bexar, Brooks, Calhoun, Cameron, DeWitt, Dimmit, Duval, Frio, Goliad, Gonzales, Hidalgo, Jackson, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Karnes, Kenedy, Kinney, Kleberg, LaSalle, Lavaca, Live Oak, Matagorda, Maverick, McMullen, Medina, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio, Starr, Uvalde, Victoria, Webb, Wharton, Willacy, Wilson, Zapata, and Zavala.
On Saturday, 81 counties were added. Those counties are Anderson, Angelina, Austin, Bastrop, Bell, Bowie, Brazoria, Brazos, Burleson, Caldwell, Camp, Cass, Chambers, Cherokee, Collin, Colorado, Comal, Dallas, Delta, Ellis, Falls, Fannin, Fayette, Fort Bend, Franklin, Freestone, Galveston, Grayson, Gregg, Grimes, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Harrison, Hays, Henderson, Hill, Hopkins, Houston, Hunt, Jasper, Jefferson, Kaufman, Lamar, Lee, Leon, Liberty, Limestone, Madison, Marion, McLennan, Milam, Montgomery, Morris, Nacogdoches, Navarro, Newton, Orange, Panola, Polk, Rains, Red River, Robertson, Rockwall, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Smith, Titus, Travis, Trinity, Tyler, Upshur, Van Zandt, Walker, Waller, Washington, Williamson, and Wood counties.
More counties may be added.
Before he left the country, Abbott directed the Texas Department of Emergency Management to increase its readiness. He said plans are in place "to ensure Texas swiftly deploys all resources needed to help Texans as heavy rainfall, flooding conditions, and strong tropical winds are expected to impact multiple regions of the state."
State emergency resources and agencies are also being put in place to respond to issues caused by the storm. It includes the following, according to a news release sent out by Abbott’s office:
- Texas A&M Task Force 1: That’s for up to 200 search and rescue personnel, including urban search and rescue teams and boat squads
- Texas A&M Forest Service: Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System all-hazard incident strike teams
- Texas National Guard: This is for up to 1,000 National Guard troops and high-profile vehicles and helicopters
- Texas Department of Public Safety: State troopers, tactical marine unit and aircraft
- Texas Department of State Health Services: For medical incident support teams and severe weather packages
- Texas Department of Transportation: Highway maintenance personnel to help with road conditions
At a news conference Friday on preparations, Chief Nim Kidd with the TDEM said now the biggest thing needed right now is for people to be ready for wherever the storm goes.
"We need a prepared community, not a panicked community," he said.
He also said though we won't know yet where the storm is going, that there's a high confidence that it's coming to Texas.
"We would ask that people make sure their vehicles are fueled, make sure they have food and water and have taken care of their pets, check on their family members and take the time now to prepare so that whenever this thing is making landfall that you're already where you need to be," Kidd said.
If there are evacuations, TxDOT has talked to construction and maintenance crews to make sure evacuation routes are cleared. Some Texas county judges have already issued voluntary evacuations for low-lying areas. Kidd said he doesn't see the need to call for contraflow at this point.
As Beryl moves over water, the risk for rip currents along beaches across the Gulf Coast will increase. Beachgoers should heed warnings of lifeguards, local officials, posted signs, and flags before venturing into the water.