Gov. Greg Abbott declares emergency amid flooding from Tropical Storm Imelda

Gov. Greg Abbott declared a state of emergency Thursday morning due to flooding along the Texas coast from Tropical Storm Imelda.

The declaration will give affected counties access to state resources as they continue to respond to the flooding. The governor previously deployed resources, including water rescue squads, to the area on Monday in preparation for the storm, according to the release.

“The State of Texas is working closely with local officials and emergency personnel to provide the resources they need to keep Texans safe from Tropical Storm Imelda,” Abbott said in a statement. “I thank our first responders who are acting swiftly to help the communities that are facing this severe weather event. I urge all those in the path of this storm to take the necessary precautions and heed all warnings from local officials.”

The counties included in the disaster declaration are Brazoria, Chambers, Galveston, Hardin, Harris, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, Newton, Orange and San Jacinto.

This developing story will be updated.