The Bastrop County Office of Emergency Management has applied for individual federal assistance for homeowners who sustained property damage due to heavy downpours that resulted in flooding in Bastrop County last week.
Mike Fisher, the county’s emergency management coordinator, said about 150 homes were destroyed or suffered damage throughout the county, including in Bastrop, Elgin and Smithville, as 8 to 10 inches of rain pounded the area in the overnight hours on May 27.
Home and business owners can help the county assess flood damage estimates by reporting property losses. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will consider granting individual assistance to Bastrop County based on the level of actual damages sustained, officials said.
Residents can report property damage at 512-332-7225, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Residents in Bastrop removing flood debris from their properties are asked to place it by the curb as the city’s public works department will be picking up rubble throughout the city. For more information or questions residents can call the city at 512-332-8800.
City officials are urging residents not to block any drainage ditches as more rain is expected in Bastrop County this week.
The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for Bastrop County through Thursday morning as heavy downpours are expected in Central Texas Wednesday and Thursday. Forecasters are expecting between 3 to 6 inches of rain throughout the region and up to 10 inches could fall over isolated areas.
5:50 p.m. update: More than an inch of rain has fallen over Bastrop County in the past hour, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a flood advisory for the area until 8:15 p.m.
Another one to two inches of rain is expected in the coming hours, forecasters say, resulting in minor flooding.
The Bastrop County Office of Emergency Management has set up a damage assessment hotline for anyone affected by the May 27 storms. Anyone who sustained damage to their homes is asked to call 512-332-7225 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. This will allow the county to make a better pitch to the federal government for individual assistance to homeowners.
Earlier: More rain is headed to Central Texas this week, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a flash flood watch for Bastrop and Travis counties through Thursday at 7 a.m.
Forecasters are expecting between 3 to 6 inches of rain widespread and as much as 10 inches in isolated areas. Heaviest rains are expected Wednesday and Thursday. Rain chances will linger at 70 percent through Friday, the weather service said.
Additional rainfall will contribute to rising river levels, and with saturated grounds from a nearly 10-inch rainfall dousing on May 27, flash floods in Bastrop County are possible.
Officials have already estimated about 150 homes were damaged and destroyed in recent storms. Bastrop County has been slowly working to repair crumbling infrastructure, topping $1.5 million in damages so far, emergency management coordinator Mike Fisher said.
The Tahitian Village neighborhood in Bastrop was hard hit by last week's storm with as many as 20 roads in disrepair, county officials said. Homes in Tahitian Village and other Bastrop County Water Improvement Control District No. 2 customers are under a boil water notice due to several water line breaks caused by raging floodwaters and debris, officials said. Updates on water safety will be posted to the water control and improvement district's website.
Damaged roads in Tahitian Village are barricaded and marked with hazard cones. There is threat of continued road collapse due to the large water washout beneath roadways, the water district, which maintain roads in its service area, said in a statement to homeowners.
The Bastrop County Long Term Recovery Team has asked for donations to help flood victims. Anyone affected by Friday’s floods can call the team at 512-521-3001.
The county could also set up a call center soon. County Judge Paul Pape made a disaster declaration for Bastrop County Friday. This is is the fifth disaster declaration for Bastrop County since Memorial Day 2015.
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