President Joe Biden has declared a major disaster in Texas, clearing the way for more federal funds to be spent on relief efforts in US.

According to the report, power is returning across Texas and temperatures are set to rise but some thirteen million people are still facing difficulties accessing clean water, while nearly sixty deaths have been attributed to cold weather across the US.

In a statement released by the White House, President Biden said he had ordered federal assistance to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe winter storms.

The statement said that assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programmes to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

An administration official said that President Biden has been in touch with the mayors of some of Texas’ biggest cities, such as Houston, Austin and Dallas, to ensure they have access to government resources.