Austin Issues Disaster Declaration Over Hurricane Laura

AUSTIN, TX — Austin and Travis County officials on Wednesday issued dual disaster declarations in response to Hurricane Laura after makeshift shelters at area hotels reached capacity, prompting a potential opening of the convention center as another temporary housing option.

"There may be hotels in the area available to evacuees who have the ability to pay for them," city officials wrote in an advisory. "Evacuees are being encouraged to head to the Dallas-Fort Worth area and Ellis County for additional funded sheltering options."

Evacuees from the Gulf Coast are urged to call the state information line at 2-1-1 or Austin 3-1-1 (512-974-2000) for assistance in identifying the next closest sheltering location. Austin-Travis County is also working to stand-up a non-hotel shelter option at the Convention Center for evacuees, officials added.

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• Austin Racetrack Opens As Shelter For Hurricane Laura Evacuees
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Austin officials have scheduled a news conference on Wednesday evening at 5 p.m. to provide updates. Among those scheduled to speak are:

• Austin Mayor Steve Adler.
• Director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for Austin Juan Ortiz.
• Chief Emergency Management Coordinator for Travis County Eric Carter.
• Austin Public Health Director Stephanie Hayden.

The news conference will be broadcast and live-streamed (details below). Here are the ways to access the video feed:

• LiveU signal
• Livestream feed ATXN 1.
• Facebook Live.

These are the locations evacuees seeking shelter should go to in North Texas:

Dallas-Fort Worth: Mesquite Reception Center, 15515 E. Interstate 20.

Ellis County: Knights of Columbus Hall, 850 South Interstate 45.

Evacuees can receive important updates and information by text message while they are in the Austin area. Text the word “ATXShelter” to 888-777 to be signed up for updates or call (512) 978-1510 for the same updates that would be received via text message. For more information, visit www.AustinTexas.gov/Help.

Hurricane Laura is expected to make landfall overnight as a Category 4 storm. At last check, the eye of the hurricane measured some 35 miles in diameter, and its winds were clocked at some 170 miles per hour.

Earlier on Wednesday, city officials said they had opened up the Circuit of the Americas racetrack as an intake center/rest area for incoming evacuees. The facility is meant as something of a pit stop for weary evacuees arranging for longer stays elsewhere.