Graphic Courtesy of MEMA
More counties have been approved for federal disaster relief.
On April 23, President Donald Trump declared Calhoun, Chickasaw, Clay, Grenada, Lowndes, Pontotoc and Tishomingo counties as federal disaster areas as a response to the severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding that impacted Mississippi from February 22-24.
According to MEMA, Governor Bryant’s request for 13 additional counties to be added to the Federal Disaster Declaration has been approved.
Those counties include Alcorn, Carroll, Itawamba, Lafayette, Lee, Montgomery, Panola, Prentiss, Quitman, Tallahatchie, Union, Webster and Yalobusha Counties.
The counties have been approved for public assistance, but the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has denied individual assistance (assistance to individuals and households). MEMA will appeal the ruling.
The Public Assistance categories are as follows:
- Category A: Debris Removal.
- Category B: Emergency Protective Measures.
- Category C: Roads and Bridges.
- Category D: Water Control Facilities.
- Category E: Buildings and Equipment.
- Category F: Utilities.
- Category G: Parks, Recreational Facilities and Other Items.
Both MEMA and FEMA will continue to complete joint damage assessments on other counties that were affected by the February storm system. Additional designations may occur at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of those assessments.
Mississippi is also approved statewide for the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, which is for measures/actions taken that reduce or eliminate long term risk to people and property from natural hazards.
In a recent update from MEMA, the agency stated that federal disaster requests will also be made following multiple severe storm events in April.
