Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms in conjunction with Tropical Storm Edouard inundated Polk County last week with the much-needed rain resulting in the burn ban being lifted. Polk County, the City of Livingston, the City of Onalaska and the City of Goodrich all issued disaster declarations due to the severe weather impact in the aftermath of the flooding.
Keep in mind that local disaster declarations do not automatically mean that financial assistance from FEMA will be available to individual residents. However, reporting damage is very important because the information helps document the overall impact throughout the county and better direct recovery resources to affected residents.
The Polk County Emergency Management is asking residents to complete the Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool (iSTAT) to report storm-related damage. All Polk County residents who have sustained storm-related damage to their homes or property are encouraged to complete the damage survey. Photos are strongly encouraged. Uploading pictures of damage helps provide a better understanding of the impacts across the county.
Report damage to your home or property at: damage.tdem.texas.gov. Completing an iSTAT damage survey is not a request for individual assistance and does not guarantee disaster aid. The information is used to support damage assessments and recovery efforts.
Although Polk County was not under a tropical storm watch or warning the evening of Sept. 1, the Polk County Office of Emergency Management continued monitoring the track of Tropical Storm Edouard. Polk County was under a flood watch and was predicted to possibly experience impacts as the storm was forecasted to weaken into a tropical depression while moving in our direction around 1 a.m. Sept. 2 bringing potentially heavy rainfall.
Once Edouardo made landfall, however, it remained over Polk County for several hours, producing periods of heavy rainfall and gusty winds, with some areas of the county receiving over 21 inches of rainfall.
Flash flooding occurred in small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses, as well as other poor drainage and low-lying areas. Areas in which the flash flooding was prevalent included Livingston, Goodrich, Seven Oaks, Alabama-Coushatta Indian Reservation, West Livingston, Lake Livingston State Park and Leggett. Numerous roads throughout the county were impacted with many being impassable due to either flood waters or downed trees from the high winds.
Many school districts throughout the county were closed Sept. 2-3, as was the Texas State University System Polk County Center. Polk County offices were closed Sept. 2, except for essential personnel, and experienced a two-hour delayed opening on Sept. 3.
The Center of Hope, located at 600 S. Washington in Livingston, distributed tarps and cleaning supplies for residents needing assistance with storm-related roof damage.
The American Red Cross established a shelter at the Dunbar Gym for local residents who were displaced from their homes.
As the community transitions into the recovery phase, please remain vigilant for potential scams and fraudulent solicitations. To support local disaster relief efforts, donations may be made to: Polk County’s Long-Term Disaster Recovery Organization, Polk County Recovers, through its donation page at https://www.polkcountyrecovers.org/donate or to the Polk County Center of Hope in Livingston through its donation page at https://www.centerofhopepolk.org/get-involved/donate.
