The federal government has expanded disaster relief access for rural Texas counties devastated by catastrophic flooding that claimed at least 135 lives this summer, offering a lifeline to communities still struggling to rebuild.
Governor Greg Abbott announced that the U.S. Small Business Administration has approved a rural area disaster declaration for five Texas counties — Coke, Concho, Kendall, Mason, and Sutton — following the deadly July 2025 floods. The declaration enables residents and business owners to access critical SBA disaster loans.
“With the approval of this disaster declaration, more communities impacted by the devastating floods that took place over the Fourth of July weekend will have access to critical financial assistance they need to recover,” said Governor Abbott.
Deadliest Inland Flooding in Decades
The July floods, triggered by Tropical Storm Barry, brought unprecedented devastation to Central Texas. In Kerr County alone, 117 people lost their lives when the Guadalupe River rose a staggering 26 feet in just 45 minutes, according to disaster reports.
Among the most heartbreaking losses: more than 20 children disappeared from a summer camp when floodwaters surged with little warning. The catastrophe now ranks as the deadliest inland flooding event in the United States since the 1976 Big Thompson River flood.
How extensive was the damage? Beyond the tragic loss of life, the floods destroyed homes, businesses, infrastructure, and devastated croplands across the Hill Country and Concho Valley.
Expanded Federal Relief
In addition to the SBA declaration, ten more counties have been added to the federal disaster declaration: Edwards, Guadalupe, Kimble, Lampasas, McCulloch, Menard, Real, Reeves, Schleicher, and Sutton. This expansion allows affected residents and businesses to receive various forms of disaster assistance.
Some counties will be eligible for FEMA Individual Assistance programs, while others qualify for FEMA Public Assistance. The SBA programs now available include Home Disaster Loans, Business Physical Disaster Loans, and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) for qualifying homeowners, renters, and businesses.
“I thank President Trump for approving these 10 additional counties for critical disaster assistance,” Abbott said.
Ongoing Recovery Efforts
State officials have been scrambling to coordinate relief since the initial devastation. Abbott has steadily expanded the state disaster declaration and directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to seek federal assistance for up to 30 impacted counties.
“Today, I expanded my state disaster declaration to include four additional counties,” the governor stated in late July. “Texas will continue to be relentless in our efforts to help impacted Texans and communities rebuild from these catastrophic floods.”
For affected residents, the process of rebuilding remains daunting. Many lost everything in the flash floods, which struck with such speed that evacuation was impossible in some areas.
While the expanded declarations provide much-needed resources, recovery will likely take years rather than months. That said, local officials have praised the coordination between state and federal agencies in responding to one of Texas’ deadliest natural disasters in recent memory.
