HOUSTON – Judge Lina Hidalgo signed a disaster declaration for Harris County on Thursday following the destruction of an EF3 tornado in the Houston area.
On Wednesday, National Weather Service Houston confirmed that the tornado that hit parts of south Houston on Tuesday was officially rated EF3 by their survey teams. NWS said the tornado had an estimated path length of 18 miles, a maximum path width of 0.66 miles and a wind speed of 140 mph.
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From a large, destructive tornado in Deer Park, to a structural collapse near Baytown, to street flooding, heavy downpours, lightning, powerful wind and downed trees - the tornado caused lots of damage and the cleanup in most areas is still ongoing.
The declaration will help the county maximize its recovery efforts from the devastating storm, including debris removal for impacted areas.
Read the full declaration below:
Harris County Judge Hidalgo has signed a disaster declaration for Harris County. This declaration will ensure the County has maximum flexibility needed to respond and recover from the tornado, including helping affected jurisdictions with needed debris removal. pic.twitter.com/JeX9wlXEiW
— Office of Judge Lina Hidalgo (@HarrisCoJudge) January 26, 2023