Austin, Texas — Federal disaster aid is now open to residents in 20 Texas counties hit by the severe storms and flooding of July 2026, after the federal government approved the state's appeal for individual assistance.

What is happening: Governor Greg Abbott announced Friday, October 30, that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved Texas' appeal for Individual Assistance funding. The approval reverses an earlier denial and follows an appeal filed by the Texas Division of Emergency Management on October 20, along with a pledge earlier in the week from President Donald Trump to expand recovery funding for the storm-hit communities.

Local impacts: The 20 counties now approved for Individual Assistance are Bandera, Bexar, Comal, Crockett, Dimmit, Frio, Gillespie, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Kinney, La Salle, Maverick, Medina, Real, Schleicher, Sutton, Uvalde, Val Verde, and Zavala. The July flooding destroyed homes and businesses across the region, with damage reports counting 132 homes destroyed and more than 600 additional residences and small businesses heavily damaged.

What to do: Residents in the approved counties can now apply for federal help covering temporary housing, emergency home repairs, losses to personal property not covered by insurance, disaster legal services, disaster unemployment assistance, and medical, dental, and funeral costs tied to the disaster. Applications are open online at disasterassistance.gov or by phone at 800-621-3362. An appeal for Hazard Mitigation grant funding remains pending, according to the governor's office.

Source: KENS5, October 30, 2026. Reported by TNW News.