Governor Greg Abbott met with the state’s emergency response team Monday after severe storms sent waves of “life threatening” flood waters across large sections of Texas.
The Governor issued disaster declarations for nine counties in the state Monday and Abbott said more will to be issued in the following days.
Those counties include: Austin, Bastrop, Fort Bend, Colorado, Grimes, Harris, Montgomery, Waller and Wharton Counties.
“We will constantly be searching for anybody who needs assistance,” Gov. Greg Abbott said.
So far, more than 1,000 water rescues have been performed across the state and Abbott said he expects that number will also climb over the next couple of days as water levels continue to rise.
The state was working Monday to determine how many, if any, deaths or injuries were caused by flooding.
The state’s Director of Emergency Management said the response plan is similar to what’s be done in the aftermath of a hurricane.
Helicopters were available to provide air rescues but water levels have been too high for those to be used, so crews have relied on boats.
A wide-ranging flood watch—San Antonio, to Austin, Houston, up to Dallas and as far east as the Texas/Arkansas border – remained in effect until Tuesday morning.
“About one half of the state is still under flood warnings and one of the most important message I could convey to Texans across the state at this moment is that these warnings will continue,” Abbott said people need to respect those warnings and follow any evacuation orders that may be issued.
Rain was expected on Monday to continue to fall for the next 24-48 hours, and creeks and rivers were already swollen.
“We need to be vigilant and concerned about ongoing, rising water and the biggest mistake anybody can make is to assume that the worst is past and drive into rising water,” Abbott said
State leaders reminded Texans stay away from flooded roadways and to follow the signs at road blocks to “turn around, don’t drown.” People who live in those areas should check the forecast and visit DriveTexas.org to see what roads are closed before heading out.
Harris County was one of the hardest hit areas—parts of Houston got more than a foot of rain fall in just six hours Sunday.
Abbott called the severe weather, “One of the most significant flooding and rainfalls that we’ve had in that particular region.”
For perspective, emergency mangers said the rainfalls equals about half of what came down in Hurricane Allison in 2001.
