Texas county issues disaster declaration due to severe weather

MATAGORDA COUNTY, Texas — Leaders in Matagorda County issued a disaster declaration on Thursday due to ongoing severe weather.

The declaration allows local authorities to do what they need to do to respond to issues caused by the storms and ensure their residents are safe.

“Our biggest concern at this time is the impact of heavy rainfall and flooding in coastal areas of the county,” Matagorda County Judge Bobby Seiferman said. “Residents should remain vigilant and prepared.”

The county was under a Flash Flood Warning for most of the morning as several inches of rain fell. It’s estimated that more than 7 inches of rain fell before noon and more was expected as the day went on.

RELATED: Weather Impact Alert: Heavy rain and strong storms trigger flash flood warnings in the Houston area

The heavy rainfall caused street flooding, particularly in Palacios, La Ward and Blessing.

County leaders advised residents and visitors not to travel due to road conditions.

State Highway 35 between Palacios and Port Comfort was closed due to high water.

FM 1862 between Blessing and State Highway 35 was closed due to high water.

Thousands of people were left without power from the storms.

A Flash Flood Warning was issued in Matagorda County until 12:15 p.m.

Leaders in Bay City, the county seat of Matagorda County, were offering sandbags for residents to protect their property. The sandbags were available at 1217 Ave. J, in front of the Municipal Services Building. Anyone with questions was told to call 979-323-1659.

Rain was expected to continue to fall throughout the day.

Click here for a full forecast for the Houston area.