Abbott Issues Severe Weather Disaster Declaration for Area Counties

Counties included in disaster declaration/Graphic by The Amarillo Pioneer

Governor Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for counties in the Texas Panhandle for “heavy rainfall, flash flooding, and hazardous wind gusts” caused by recent storms.

The counties included in the declaration are Bailey, Briscoe, Castro, Deaf Smith, Garza, Hale, Lamb, Lynn, Parmer, Potter, Randall, and Roberts.

The declaration authorizes “the use of all available resources of state government and of political subdivisions that are reasonably necessary to cope with this disaster” and suspends “any regulatory statute prescribing the procedures for conduct of state business or any order or rule of a state agency that would in any way prevent, hinder, or delay necessary action in coping with this disaster” upon approval of the Office of the Governor.

The declaration was filed at 1:00 pm on June 6th.

Various local governments in the area have issued their own disaster declarations, including both the City of Amarillo and City of Canyon, as well as both Potter and Randall Counties. Canyon City Commission voted to extend their disaster declaration earlier this week, while Amarillo City Council and the Commissioners’ Courts of both Potter and Randall are set to do the same.