Hidalgo County judge issues disaster declaration

EDINBURG, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Hidalgo County Judge Richard F. Cortez issued disaster declaration on Monday following a weekend of dangerous storms that swept across most of the Upper Valley.

Judge Cortez said he asked Gov. Greg Abbott to declare a state of emergency for Texas.

“I have determined that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that an effective response is beyond the capability of the local jurisdiction to control,” Cortez wrote to Abbott.

The county judge said 80 miles per hour winds during the storm caused severe damage to many buildings and homes, as well as causing the majority of the county to lose power for several days.

Nearly three days after the storm hit, nearly 15,000 AEP Texas customers in Hidalgo County still are without electricity.

The declaration went into effect immediately and will continue for seven days, unless the Hidalgo County Commissioners Court extends it.