Harris County, Texas, Judge Lina Hidalgo signed a disaster declaration for the county today and warned that Hurricane Laura could cause “significant damage.”
“We will avoid a direct hit but that doesn’t mean that we’re avoiding potential consequences like power outages or the impacts of wind,” she said at a Houston news conference.
“We still do anticipate tropical storm winds in our county,” Hidalgo said, “which would cause significant damage – the possibility of downed trees, power lines, unsafe road conditions.”
She urged residents to “stay home and get off the roads no later than 8pm tonight.” Hidalgo also said now is the time to complete any last-minute preparations, such as clearing debris, bringing pets inside, and stocking up on supplies like food, water, flashlights, batteries, and fuel.
Hidalgo said the Harris County disaster declaration will “help us have additional flexibility to respond and recover.”