Houston Mayor John Whitmire signs disaster declaration after devastating storms hit the Houston area

May 17, 2024: Mayor John Whitmire during a walking tour of downtown Houston after straight-line winds the night before caused significant damage. (Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston - All rights reserved.)

Following a series of severe storms that caused unimaginable damage across the Houston area, Mayor John Whitmire was out in full force, attempting to survey the issues and provide resources for residents in need.

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Friday afternoon, the mayor’s office announced on X that Whitmire had just signed a declaration, proclaiming a Local State of Disaster for the City of Houston.

According to the office, the proclamation will create a path for additional authority and resources from both state and federal partners to assist with citywide storm recovery.

At this time, neither the city of Houston nor Harris County officials have provided a monetary number on the amount of damage incurred, or repairs needed for the worst-hit areas.


About the Author

Moriah Ballard joined the KPRC 2 digital team in the fall of 2021. Prior to becoming a digital content producer in Southeast Texas and a Houstonian, Moriah was an award-winning radio host in her hometown of Lorain, Ohio, and previously worked as a producer/content creator in Cleveland. Her faith, family, and community are her top passions.

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