Texas governor signs disaster declaration for 16 counties after Monday's severe weather
Declaration allows all available resources of the state government to be used to help those affected by the severe weather outbreak
Texas governor signs disaster declaration for 16 counties following severe storms
Texas Governor Gregg Abbott signs a disaster declaration for 16 counties following severe storms.
JACKSBORO, Texas - Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has signed a disaster declaration for 16 counties after severe weather, including tornadoes, swept across the Lone Star State on Monday and Monday night.
The severe weather was part of a multiday outbreak across the southern United States through the middle of the week.
FOX Weather is live with the FOX Weather Wire covering live updates on the multiday outbreak threatening the South, impacting millions of Americans. Click here for live updates.
At a news conference in Jacksboro, Abbott signed the declaration for Bastrop, Cass, Cooke, Grayson, Guadalupe, Houston, Jack, Madison, Marion, Montague, Nacogdoches, Panola, Rusk, Upshur, Williamson, and Wise counties.
The declaration will now allow all available resources of the state government to be used to help those affected by the severe weather outbreak.
TEAMS FAN OUT ACROSS TEXAS TO SURVEY STORM DAMAGE FROM MONDAY'S STORMS
Watch: Truck drives through tornado as it crosses road in Elgin, TX
This is video of the Elgin, TX tornado crossing the road and hitting a red truck. The truck is blown over on its side, spins and is then blown back right side up. A second later the driver drives away.
"One thing that is taking place today and will continue to take place, but we want to happen very quickly is an assessment of damages," Abbott said at the news conference. "This is very important for the repair process for the government funding process."
Abbott said anyone who has had their property damaged during the storms needs to report it. Residents can do so by clicking here.
In total, 56 Tornado Warnings were issued in the Lone Star State through midnight, followed by a few additional warnings overnight as the storms continued to track eastward into Tuesday morning.
So far, at least 26 people have been injured and one person was killed during the severe weather.