NEWS Staff Report
HARLINGEN, TEXAS—In coordination with the Texas Division of Emergency Management [TDEM], the Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA] and U.S. Small Business Administration [SBA], four Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) opened locally on May 28, offering in-person help to residents of the four South Texas counties affected by the severe storms and flooding that occurred March 26-28.
Homeowners and renters in Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy counties may be eligible for FEMA assistance for losses not covered by insurance, according to a FEMA press release.
FEMA and SBA will support state-led recovery efforts at the recovery centers. Staff can help survivors apply for federal assistance. They can also identify potential needs and connect survivors with local, state and federal agencies, as well as nonprofits and community groups, according to FEMA officials.
The DRCs opened Wednesday, May 28 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and will be opened daily at these locations: Hidalgo County –Weslaco EDC, 275 S. Kansas Ave., Weslaco, TX 78596; Starr County — Starr County Courthouse Annex, 100 N FM 3167, Rio Grande City, TX 78582; Willacy County — Sebastian Community Center, 434 West 8th Street, Sebastian, TX 78594; Cameron County — Harlingen Convention Center, 701 Harlingen Heights, Harlingen, TX 78552.
Residents can visit any open center to meet with representatives of FEMA, the state of Texas and the SBA. No appointment is needed.
All centers are accessible to people with disabilities or access and functional needs and are equipped with assistive technology. If you need a reasonable accommodation or sign language interpreter, please call 833-285-7448 (press 2 for Spanish).
FEMA staff are easily recognizable by their official photo identification (ID). If you meet people offering assistance, first ask to see their ID before giving them your personal information. They may have FEMA clothing, but that can be easily imitated.
FEMA staff can help residents in several ways including:
• Checking the status of an application already in the system and making minor changes to applications.
• Contacting faith-based organizations, community groups, private sector businesses and public libraries that may have the capability to distribute disaster-related information to residents in the impacted counties.
• Identifying organizations providing disaster-related services and/or resources to the public for long-term recovery.
• Gathering information about impacts to communities.
• Providing flyers explaining how to apply for disaster assistance.
Survivors with homeowners or renters’ insurance should first file a claim with their insurance company as soon as possible. If your policy does not cover all your damage expenses, you may then be eligible for federal assistance.
SBA’s Customer Service Representatives are available at the centers to answer questions, assist business owners complete their disaster loan application, accept documents, and provide updates on an application’s status.
For information and to apply online visit SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call the SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
Survivors can apply to FEMA in several ways including going online to DisasterAssistance.gov, downloading the FEMA App for mobile devices or calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Calls are accepted every day from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Help is available in most languages.
If you use a relay service, such as video relay (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA the number for that service. To view an accessible video about how to apply visit: Three Ways to Register for FEMA Disaster Assistance – YouTube.
For more information, visit fema.gov/disaster/4871. Follow FEMA Region 6 on social media at x.com/FEMARegion6 and at facebook.com/FEMARegion6/.
FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters.
Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 833-285-7448). If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service. Multilingual operators are available (press 2 for Spanish).
Learn more at fema.gov/disaster/4871 May 2025
When March’s rain event was over, some 13 hours after it commenced, an estimated 18-21” of rain is believed to have fallen on the area. Sections of downtown Harlingen had endured up to waste-high flooding in what’s being called, “The Flood of the Century,” breaking known rainfall records in the Rio Grande Valley dating back that long or longer.
The Arroyo Colorado crested at 30.44’, shattering the previous record set on July 21, 2010 of 24.22’. Thus far, six RGV deaths that night are believed to have been weather-related, according to the National Weather Service Brownsville/RGV station (NWSB).
At least 1,000 buildings were flooded Valley-wide, reads the NWSB report on the storm. Another 1,000 vehicles sustained severe water damage and were abandoned, while “an unknown number of roads and bridges sustained structural damage due to the floodwaters,” according to the NWSB.
Valley International Airport in Harlingen canceled all flights through March 31 due to flooded taxiways and other damage to its pavement.
By the weekend, state and local officials, including various mayors and county judges in the Rio Grande Valley, signed disaster declarations with Texas Governor Greg Abbott following at the state level, issuing a disaster declaration for Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy counties on March 29.
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