City of McAllen, Hidalgo County and Surrounding Area Declared Federal Disaster Area Due to June Flood Event
Written by Post Public Information Representative, Jul 6, 2018, Comments Off
Courtesy Xochitl Mora,
City, county and state declarations helped speed presidential response
Earlier today, the City of McAllen was notified that President Donald Trump signed the federal Disaster Declaration for Hidalgo and Cameron counties, including McAllen, following the local flood events that inundated the area last month. This now will allow individuals and businesses in McAllen to request federal assistance for making repairs to their damaged homes and businesses.
McAllen Mayor Jim Darling expressed his appreciation for the federal action, stating, “We are grateful to President Trump for reviewing this documentation and for making this assistance available to our residents.”
Mayor Darling also encouraged homeowners to continue documenting their damages and repairs in anticipation of visiting with Federal Emergency Management Association (F.E.M.A) representatives.
Mayor Darling also expressed thanks to Texas Governor Greg Abbott for his help and his quick visit to McAllen, as well as to Texas Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz and Congressman Vicente Gonzalez for their assistance in the process. “This was a coordinated effort, and we appreciate all the help from the various city, county, state, and federal officials who carefully followed all steps, including the process of documenting all damages,” said Darling.
F.E.M.A. will soon announce locations for Disaster Recovery Centers in the area, where Hidalgo County residents will go to meet with FEMA officials. Additionally, residents will soon be able to self-register with the F.E.M.A. Recovery Center by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (1-800-621-3362), or by registering at www.fema.gov.
McAllen residents should still contact their homeowners’ insurance companies in advance of their contact with F.E.M.A., if possible.
Over 2,700 McAllen residences and over 20 local businesses reported damages during the historic flood event that saw over 14 inches of rain fall throughout major parts of the city, and which damaged over 20,000 homes throughout Hidalgo County.
