Abbott asks for federal aid after tornado

Property owners in four counties could get loans, other help

Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday asked the White House to declare a federal disaster in areas of southeast Houston that sustained more than $4.2 million in damage from tornadoes last month.

A presidential disaster declaration would open more forms of recovery aid to people whose properties and livelihoods were affected by the storms.

In a letter to President Joe Biden, Abbott said recovery from the damage caused by the Jan. 24 tornadoes “requires robust, comprehensive action by all levels of government.” He asked for the disaster to be declared in Harris, Jefferson, Liberty and Orange counties.

The decision to make the request was made after the state reviewed disaster reports it received in days following the storm.

A report included in Abbott’s request said there were five damaging tornadoes in southeast Texas that occurred on Jan. 24. The largest one, an

EF-3 with peak wind of 140 mph, touched down in Houston and caused caused an 18mile path of destruction in parts of Pasadena, Deer Park and Baytown.

On the same day, an EF-2 tornado touched down in Liberty County, near Nome, and ripped a roof from a home, according to the report. Another EF-2 touched down in Orange County, damaging or destroying homes near Orangefield before crossing into Louisiana.

Another two EF-1 tornadoes developed in Jefferson County and Orange County, according to the report.

The state reported that 673 homes were damaged by the tornadoes, and that of those, 71 were destroyed.

The report notes that many of the destroyed homes were in medium-income neighborhoods, “where survivors struggled to rebuild, make mortgage payments or pay rent in a market lacking affordable rental resources.”

If the White House grants the request, residents of the four counties would be eligible for counseling, unemployment, legal and other forms of assistance, as well as small business loans, Abbott said.