Southeast Texas Floods Bring Federal Disaster Declaration

President Barack Obama has declared a major disaster in three Texas counties following severe storms including tornadoes and flooding earlier this month.

The declaration covers Jasper, Newton and Orange counties in southeast Texas.

It enables residents to received federal grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

The Sabine river along the border between Texas and Louisiana was hit with the worst flooding since 1884. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott had requested the federal declaration on Friday and said at the time that more counties may be added later.