Gov. Abbott signs disaster declaration for 29 counties ahead of Beta landfall
AUSTIN, Texas (KTRK) -- Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed on Monday a disaster declaration for 29 counties hours ahead of Tropical Storm Beta's landfall.
Abbott said Harris, Galveston, Fort Bend, Brazoria and Chambers are among the coastal communities that could face widespread flooding. See the declaration with the full list of counties.
"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," said Abbott. "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."
ONGOING COVERAGE: Southeast Texas prepares for Beta
Under the declaration, the governor authorized the use of all available resources to help impacted communities. Most of those resources are search and rescue.
Just the night before, Abbott spoke with ABC13 about what the state expects and the advice he's offering to Texans in the path.
"Heed any warnings about potential flooding," Abbott said. "You have the last few hours to take the advance action that may be needed to make sure you are able to get out of harm's way."
Abbott continued, "Whether it be from Victoria to the Houston area or over to Beaumont, we do anticipate heavy flooding and hence, perhaps the need to rescue people from very serious situations."
He urged southeast Texas residents to watch weather reports and remain updated with the latest on the storm's movement.
WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH GOV. GREG ABBOTT IN THE VIDEO ABOVE.
