AUSTIN, Texas — Gov. Greg Abbott said he plans to visit the Coastal Bend on Tuesday to assess damage resulting from Hurricane Hanna.
Abbott discussed his visit during an interview with KRIS 6 News Anchor Paulo Salazar, where he also discussed the state's ongoing fight against COVID-19.
Abbott will meet with a delegation of city officials at 11:30 a.m. The meeting with the governor will delay the start of Tuesday's City Council meeting until 1 p.m.
"I've been able to see visual images of the damages and will be able to see those damages in person tomorrow," Abbott said about his upcoming visit. "What we hope to see obviously, there will be so many different facilities, could be building or fences or house that have sufficient destruction because of that."
Abbott said resources are available immediately to local governments to respond to local destruction, especially advancing what needs to be done for debris removal with regards to individual assistance which will determine whether or not local residents will qualify for funding to rebuild their homes.
"That's something that will take a little time to determine," Abbott said. "FEMA needs to make an assessment and hopefully that assessment will be made by the end of this week. And once they make that determination, local residents will be able to have the funds to begin the rebuilding process, also."
Abbott also spoke about the importance of Texans remaining vigilant in the fight against COVID-19, adding that the chances of shutting the state down aren't currently being considered.
"On a statewide shutdown, that's something we aren't looking at, especially because we have seen as locales like Dallas and Austin has led to a reduction in those who have tested positive," Abbott said. "There may be occasions when certain areas of the state - like the Rio Grande Valley - where we made need to use additional tools to slow the spread. Especially, because in the Rio Grande Valley they are overwhelmed in their hospital capacity by patients who have tested positive for COVID-19.
"That being said, what we are currently doing now is surging medical resources to that region and every time we've done it in the past, we've been able to stabilize in regions like that."
You can watch the entire interview with Abbott here.
