Gov. Tate Reeves is seeking federal assistance for eight Mississippi counties impacted by Tropical Storm Arthur.
The governor has requested a major disaster declaration from President Donald Trump for Covington, George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Pearl River, Stone, and Wayne counties. A major disaster declaration is a formal action by the president that unlocks wide-ranging federal aid following natural disasters.
Local emergency response officials report that Tropical Storm Arthur, which hit in June, yielded 30 inches of rain in Mississippi within a five-day period, with some downpours falling at rates up to three inches per hour. The weather event triggered flash flood emergencies, threatened earthen dams, and drove multiple river basins into major flood stages. Six key river basins crested and did not recede for as many as seven days after the initial impacts of the storm.
As for the toll the storm took on Mississippians, officials say the effects damaged 532 homes, 17 businesses, and 5 farms.
“Mississippians are resilient, but the damage caused by Tropical Storm Arthur has left many families and communities facing a long recovery,” Reeves said. “Today, I requested a Major Disaster Declaration from President Trump to help ensure those impacted have access to the resources they need to rebuild. Mississippi will continue to support every community affected as they recover.”
Joint damage assessments have been conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency regarding the impact the storm had on the state. Reeves said damage assessments indicate that the threshold requirements have been met to be eligible for federal assistance.
As additional damages are discovered and reported, the request may be amended to add additional counties for individual assistance or public assistance in the future, the governor said.
Individual assistance is for residents in declared counties. It can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals recover from the effects of a disaster.
Public assistance supports local governments and certain nonprofits in recovering from major disasters by providing grants for debris removal, life-saving emergency protective measures, and the restoration of public infrastructure.
The president must approve the request for federal assistance to become available to local and county governments and certain nonprofits. In the meantime, Reeves said the state will continue to work closely with federal and local officials, volunteers, faith-based organizations, and private-sector partners to recover from the storm.
