San Benito declares disaster after severe April storm; officials push residents to file TDEM iSTAT reports

The San Benito City Commission on April 1 approved an order declaring a local state of disaster after an intense rain event that officials said dropped far more rain than forecast and caused widespread flooding.

The declaration (Order 2025-0401) passed by motion during the April 1 meeting; Mayor Paul Tim Galvan moved to approve and Commissioner Morales seconded the motion. The commission also approved ratification of expenditures related to towing and relocation of vehicles stranded during the storm.

City and emergency officials told the commission the storm delivered far more rain than forecast and that rescue and shelter operations were carried out overnight. “We never imagined it was gonna be 18 to 20 inches,” San Benito Police Chief Mario Pereira said, describing models that had forecast far smaller amounts and noting the storm “caught everybody by surprise.” Pereira and other staff described large-scale street and subdivision flooding, multiple rescues and an emergency shelter opened at the AEP building.

Why it matters: Commissioners and staff said thorough documentation of residential damage will be essential to qualify for state or federal disaster assistance. Officials urged residents to use the Texas Division of Emergency Management iSTAT mobile app (iSTAT) to report property damage, upload photos and pin locations so the city can compile evidence for aid applications to TDEM and FEMA.

Emergency response and damage assessment Chief Mario Pereira described rescue operations that began Thursday evening and continued into the following morning, and said fire and rescue crews prioritized people in homes before vehicles. The chief said rescue crews and volunteers opened an emergency shelter at the AEP building and worked with neighboring jurisdictions to assist residents. Pereira summarized the rescue effort and urged residents to document home damage — not shed or fence damage alone — using the iSTAT app.

Mayor Paul Tim Galvan and several commissioners thanked staff, volunteers, police and fire personnel who worked through the night. Commissioner Goodman and others described neighborhood relief efforts, supply distributions and volunteer feeding events over the weekend. Commissioners repeatedly emphasized the importance of residents uploading clear photos, correct addresses and multiple angles in iSTAT to strengthen any future aid requests.

Staff and county coordination City staff said the City is coordinating with Cameron County and neighboring cities for debris pickup and debris segregation (household hazardous waste, electronic waste, appliances/white goods) so that debris collection aligns with county contracts and potential reimbursement rules if disaster funds are made available. City staff also said the commission has been funding an ongoing UTRGV drainage-monitoring study; staff said the commission will request those hydrology results from UTRGV as the city proceeds with mitigation planning.

Public information and thresholds Officials said the iSTAT data and photo evidence will be used to meet the damage thresholds required by county or regional disaster declarations. As discussed at the meeting, the county threshold referenced for Cameron County was mentioned by staff during the discussion; staff urged as many residents as possible to submit reports so the city can demonstrate the breadth and severity of damage when applying for state or federal aid.

Resident comments and local mitigation proposals During the public comment period, residents thanked first responders and asked how to reduce future flood risk in subdivisions and low-lying corners. A petition to create an RGB Flood Control District was mentioned by a commissioner and said to be circulating; the commissioner said other nearby cities were also reviewing the petition and asked the commission to consider a proclamation in support if appropriate.

What the city approved - Order 2025-0401, a declaration of disaster due to heavy rainfall resulting in widespread flooding in the city of San Benito, was approved by motion (mover: Mayor Paul Tim Galvan; seconder: Commissioner Morales). Staff recommended approval. - The commission approved ratification of expenditures associated with severe-weather stranded vehicles, towing services and relocation to enable immediate response; staff said a full accounting of dollar amounts will return to the commission and that a budget amendment will likely be required.

Outlook City officials scheduled meetings with faith-based organizations, schools and community groups to help residents complete the iSTAT reports and to coordinate grassroots outreach. Officials said the more local documentation the city submits to TDEM/FEMA, the better the city’s prospects for state or federal disaster assistance.

Ending City staff and commissioners reiterated that recovery and mitigation will require regional cooperation, additional data from the UTRGV drainage study, and widespread resident participation in damage reporting through the iSTAT app.