After weeks of intense rain that turned the state into natural disaster, Texas is set to get its first new period of extended sunshine. This development in the flood-ravaged state would allow surging rivers to recede and rebuilding of damaged structures to commence.
Due to the severity of the floods that hit the state, U.S. President Barack Obama has declared most parts of Texas an official disaster area. At least 25 people were killed due to the calamity, according to Reuters.
More than 10 inches (25 cm.) of rain has fallen across nearly the entire central and eastern portion of the state during the last 30 days. Some isolated areas have even received more rain, with some reporting to have received as much as 15 to more than 20 inches (37.5 cm. to more than 50 cm.) during the intense period, according to The Japan Times.
"It's looking like there won't be any additional rain this week and that's good news," he said National Weather Service meteorologist Dan Reilly, who remains optimisitc.
Even given the days of sunshine to come, the ground remains saturated while rivers and lakes remain swollen due to the influx of water, causing a significant risk as the state heads into the tropical storm season, according to The Japan Times.
"We are more vulnerable now than we were before the rain," Reilly said.
Hays County spokeswoman Laureen Chernow remains apprehensive about the damage that the state has incurred. Texas state officials have recorded at least $32.7 million in damages to public infrastructure, as reported by The japan Times. Apart from damage to buildings, roads have been closed and two bridges have also been destroyed.
"There are a couple of pillars standing in the riverbed," she said.
"It's going to take years to rebuild this whole area," she added.
Veronica Beyer, spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Transportation, states that apart from the damage to the infrastructure, there is also a significant damage to the state transportation system, which can go as high as $27 million.
"We want people to keep in mind that this has been a historic national disaster of epic proportions for us," she said.
