Biden declares major disaster in Texas as residents struggle after severe winter storm

President Joe Biden has said Texas is experiencing a major disaster, as residents continue to grapple with the aftermath of a catastrophic winter storm that hit the central and southern United States earlier this week.

As of Saturday morning, the storm had been linked to at least 27 deaths across the state, and food and clean water was in the wild for millions of Texans.

With the declaration of major disaster, residents of 77 of Texas’ 254 counties will be eligible for federal funding to help with recovery efforts. The aid includes subsidies for temporary housing and home repairs, as well as “low-cost loans” to cover losses of uninsured property, the White House said in a statement on Saturday.

Federal aid can also be used for programs that will help individuals and business owners recover from the winter storm.

If necessary, the White House said additional designations could be determined at a later date.

Mr Biden tweeted Thursday that he will “work tirelessly” to get Texas what he needs to deal with the aftermath of the storm.

Tonight I called Governor Greg Abbott to discuss the current situation in Texas and identify ways to support the state’s recovery from this storm. I have made it clear to the Governor that I will work tirelessly to get his condition what they need. pic.twitter.com/UBwH8DMep2

– President Biden (@POTUS) February 19, 2021

Mr Biden also said he plans to visit the state once it is safe to do so without interfering with disaster response.

Texas has seen nearly a week of freezing temperatures. The impact of the deep freeze from the storm that entered the region last Sunday put devastating pressure on the state’s infrastructure, causing power outages and bursting pipes.

The Texas power grid official said the system was “seconds and minutes” away from leaving residents without power for months when the storm hit. Operators said the electrical system had returned to normal on Friday. But even still, many in the state are struggling to recover.

As of Saturday morning, 7 million people – about a quarter of the state’s entire population – remained on a boil water advisory, limiting their access to safe drinking water.

Many of the estimated 29 million people who reside in the state are in critical need of supplies. Omar Villafranca of CBS News reported that at a single distribution site in Houston, 13,000 cases of water were distributed. In Dallas this weekend, 25,000 meal kits are ready to be delivered to those in need.