Texas – Governor Greg Abbott has ordered the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to coordinate with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and local officials in conducting joint preliminary damage assessments in South Texas communities affected by last week’s severe storms.
The assessments aim to determine whether Texas meets federal thresholds for disaster assistance, including low-interest loans to aid homeowners and businesses in rebuilding efforts.
“As South Texas communities recover from last week’s storm damage, the State of Texas continues to provide all necessary resources to help Texans rebuild,” Governor Abbott said in a statement. “Today, I requested the U.S. Small Business Administration join state and local officials to assess storm damage to homes and businesses in affected communities. This effort will help federal officials determine if Texas qualifies for low-interest loans so communities have the financial assistance they need to rebuild and recover.”
Governor Abbott urged Texans to self-report any damage to their homes or businesses using the Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool (iSTAT), a damage survey designed to help officials gather accurate information on storm impacts. “Texans are urged to self-report any storm damage to their homes or businesses to the iSTAT survey,” Abbott said.
The Texas Division of Emergency Management continues to collect and review damage reports submitted by residents through the iSTAT survey, which can be accessed at damage.tdem.texas.gov. Officials emphasize that accurate and timely reporting is vital for identifying affected areas and connecting residents with available resources.
Prior to the storms, Governor Abbott activated state emergency response resources to support local officials and first responders in severe weather response operations.
Emergency management personnel across Texas remain engaged in recovery efforts, working diligently to assist communities impacted by the severe weather event.
