Houston city officials distribute free water boxes after the city of Houston implemented a boiling water warning after an unprecedented winter storm at Delmar Stadium in Houston, Texas, on February 19, 2021.
Callaghan O’Hare | Reuters
President Joe Biden approved a major disaster declaration for Texas, while the state faces widespread power cuts and water shortages amid freezing winter conditions, the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced on Saturday.
The suit provides federal funding for individuals in Texas, grants for temporary housing and home repairs and low-cost loans to cover losses on uninsured property.
Millions of Texans have struggled with power cuts and more than half the state is now facing water service disruption with boiling water warnings in place. More than 14 million people in Texas were told to boil water by Friday, as parts of the state’s water supply may be contaminated.
The federal government has already approved emergency declarations for Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana and sent supplies such as generators, blankets, water and meals to Texas last week.
The president plans to visit Texas as early as next week to assess the federal response. Biden said he will make the final decision to go only after ensuring that his presence does not hinder recovery efforts. The government has been working closely with Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott in responding to disasters.
The Texas Electric Reliability Council (ERCOT) said on Friday that it has returned to normal conditions and restored power to millions of customers. More than 78,000 customers in Texas still had no power on Saturday morning at 10:30 am (Eastern Time), according to the latest data from PowerOutage.us.
Alison Silverstein, an independent energy consultant and former strategic consultant to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, projected that 20 million or more Texans could be forced to boil water.
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