Amid the ongoing devastation from Hurricane Helene and ahead of Milton, which is expected to make landfall Wednesday along the west-central Florida peninsula, Texas is allocating emergency resources for Florida and Tennessee.

What You Need To Know

  • Gov. Greg Abbott is sending emergency response resources to Florida and Tennessee amid Hurricane Helene's impact and ahead of Milton

  • Helene made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane on Sept. 26 near Perry, Florida. It has since amassed a death toll of about 277 as it made its way up to Atlanta and caused major flooding, high winds and power outages

  • Milton was upgraded from a 65-mph tropical storm on Sunday to a 165-mph, Category 5 major hurricane on Monday morning. It’s expected to make landfall Wednesday evening in the Tampa Bay area

  • Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 51 counties over the weekend ahead of the storm’s impact

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday directed the Texas Department of Emergency Management (TDEM) to deploy emergency management personnel to assist with recovery efforts for both hurricanes. TDEM will also provide rescue boat squads with the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service to help with flood water recovery in preparation for Milton.

“...America is stronger when we come together in times of crisis, and Texas will continue to deploy crucial resources to support our fellow Americans as they prepare for and recover from these destructive storms. I thank all the Texas emergency response personnel for their work in Hurricane Helene recovery efforts and for answering the call to support the people of Florida as they brace for Hurricane Milton,” Abbott said in a statement Monday.

Helene made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane on Sept. 26 near Perry, Florida. It made its way up to Atlanta and caused major flooding, high winds and power outages. It has amassed a death toll of about 277, making it the deadliest hurricane to hit the U.S. mainland since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Milton was upgraded from a 65-mph tropical storm on Sunday to a 165-mph, Category 5 major hurricane by Monday. It’s expected to make landfall Wednesday evening in the Tampa Bay area, according to AccuWeather.

“This is an unusual and extremely concerning forecast track for a hurricane approaching the Tampa Bay area.” AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter said in a statement.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 51 counties over the weekend ahead of the storm’s impact.

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Apart from Tennessee and Florida, Abbott has also sent resources to other states impacted by Helene, including North Carolina and Georgia. Incident Support Task Force personnel and emergency veterinary resources were sent to North Carolina, and generators were sent to Georgia amid power outages.