Hidalgo County steps in to assist Central Texas communities

EDINBURG, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Hidalgo County Community Service Agency will visit Central Texas to offer assistance to the communities affected by the deadly flash floods that occurred on the Fourth of July.

An emergency meeting was held on Tuesday by the Hidalgo County Commissioners Court to discuss what action will be taken by the Hidalgo County Community Service Agency.

As of Monday, the death toll from the Central Texas floods surpassed 100 and is expected to rise as statewide recovery teams continue to search for missing people.

"In events like this, days matter, and the judge is trying to cut down on the legal paperwork that's required to be able to allow us authorization to move quickly," said Hidalgo County Community Service Agency Executive Director Jaime Longoria.

Longoria says that offering assistance to local and statewide communities will inform Hidalgo County to provide faster and better services in the future.

"We're eager to be on the ground over there and work with our partners at Concho Valley Community Action," Longoria said. "To be able to collectively learn how we can better serve the people of our county and the people of Texas."

The Hidalgo County Community Service Agency aims to get its equipment and staff to Central Texas as early as the end of this week.