Three Area Counties Added to Federal Disaster Aid

AUSTIN (AP/STAFF) – Two area counties, hard-hit by flooding and severe storms this month, and 4 other counties, are now eligible for federal disaster aid. Gregg, Harrison and Marion counties, along with Parker, Hood and Erath counties have been added to a federal disaster declaration made on March 19. They join three counties in southeast Texas, Jasper, Newton and Orange, that had previously been approved for federal aid. The disaster declaration allows residents in the affected counties to apply for various forms of aid, including low interest loans that can help pay for repairs or rebuilding efforts. The aid will help the counties rebuild from severe weather that began March 7 and included flooding in southeast Texas that led to thousands of evacuations and destroyed or severely damaged hundreds of homes.