AUSTIN, Texas – In the two years since Hurricane Harvey made landfall, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded more than $119 million to the City of Houston for emergency protective measures taken after Hurricane Harvey’s landfall.  The City of Houston staff extracted water, removed damaged building materials, towed city vehicles to safety and cleared mud and silt from various public facilities damaged by Harvey. The city was reimbursed for sheltering survivors in the George R. Brown Convention Center as well as for food and medical supplies.  FEMA provided grants...

AUSTIN, Texas – On the night of Aug. 25, 2017, Hurricane Harvey roared to shore on San Jose Island as a Category 4 hurricane leaving a path of devastation in its wake. Two years later, evidence of Harvey’s destruction remains, but with sweat, courage and determination, Texas survivors and their communities have made strong progress in their recovery. Hurricane Harvey is on track to become the second-costliest U.S. natural disaster — only Hurricane Katrina that struck the Gulf Coast in 2005 caused more damage. Although the damage estimates are high, federal, state...

AUSTIN, Texas — Galveston has begun replacing hundreds of thousands of cubic yards of sand that were eroded from its beaches during Hurricane Harvey, working to make the city safer from future storms and bolster its tourism industry. FEMA’s Public Assistance program is providing 90% of the funding for three Galveston beach restoration projects whose combined cost exceeds $14.8 million. FEMA’s share is over $13.3 million.  “People underestimate the value of a beach renourishment project,” said Galveston City Manager Brian Maxwell. “They think it’s all for tourism, but it actually does benefit...

AUSTIN, Texas — August 25, the second anniversary of Hurricane Harvey’s landfall along the Texas coast, is a great reminder to buy or renew a policy with the National Flood Insurance Program.  When Hurricane Harvey struck the Gulf Coast two years ago, it brought prolonged rain and flooding to much of southeast Texas. After the storm, about 92,000 Texans received flood insurance payouts for an estimated $8.92 billion. Many Texans without flood insurance, however, had to rebuild their lives with personal savings and whatever federal assistance they were eligible to receive.  Floods...

Denton, Texas– New revised preliminary flood risk information and updated Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) are available for review by residents and business owners in Matagorda County, TX. Officials encourage property owners to review the latest information to learn about local flood risks and potential future flood insurance requirements. Community stakeholders can identify any concerns or questions about the information provided and participate in appeal and comment periods for the maps.The new flood hazard information from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been generated in coordination with local community, state,...