WIMBERLEY, Texas – Gov. Greg Abbott was in Wimberley Saturday visiting some of the areas hardest hit by the Memorial Day weekend flooding. His message to residents was to rebuild, restore and keep Wimberley strong.
"It happened so quickly. I heard some estimates saying that the water elevated about 40 feet high. So it did catch a lot of people by surprise both by the height of the water, and the speed, but it shows the power of water," Abbott said.
Many residents lost their belongings and their homes, but others lost family members.
A search team recovered the body of Hays County's ninth flood victim Saturday in the Wimberley area. The body has yet to be identified. At least three people are still listed as missing.
"We need to understand there are those who are grieving, those who will never be able to rebuild their lives because they've lost family members, who are not coming back," Abbott said.
The governor's visit coincided with news that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has added 20 counties to a disaster declaration for Texas, bring the total number of counties to 24.
Click here to view a full list of all the counties listed.
Abbott said the news from FEMA will help in "ensuring that people across the state of Texas will be accessing more dollars."
FEMA said Saturday it has already approved $7.3 million in aid for Texas residents.
Residents can register for federal aid by calling 1-800-621-3362 or by signing up online at DisasterAssistance.gov.
FEMA grant money does not have to be repaid and can be used for home repair or replacement, rental assistance, personal property and other needs not covered by insurance.