WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The authorities in the US state of Texas have increased the activated number of National Guard troops to 14,000 in the Hurricane Harvey rescue efforts, Governor Greg Abbott said.
"We had 12,000 National Guard members activated, that number has been increased to 14,000," Abbott stated. "We are now up to the highest level on a number of Texas National Guard members who are deployed to help our fellow Texans to deal with these challenges."
"I have asked for and received an expansion of the number of counties added to the federal disaster declaration… Now the total is 33 counties," Abbott stated. "We have added 14 counties."
Hurricane Harvey, which is currently moving eastward from the state toward Louisiana, causing heavy floods. According to the latest data on the death toll as a result of the storm, 30 people lost their lives amid the largest hurricane in the US after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.