Mississippi Governor Barbour Requests Disaster Declaration For Hinds County

April 11, 2008 -- (JACKSON, Mississippi) — Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour today requested President George W. Bush and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to declare Hinds County as a major disaster area after the county sustained large amounts of damage from the severe weather and tornado outbreak April 4.

Tornado damage: Photo by Andrew Freese (CC)

Workers from the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, the Small Business Administration, and FEMA assessed the hardest hit areas of Hinds County to find damaged homes that were either uninsured or underinsured, a requirement to obtain federal assistance. These assessment findings, which are included in the Governor’s letter, are listed below:

• 25 homes destroyed;
• 112 homes with major damage;
• 144 homes with minor damage;
• 38 homes affected;
• All homes were under or uninsured; and
• 64% of the affected residents are renters.

In his letter, Governor Barbour requests FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program for storm victims who may qualify for federal grants of up to $28,000 to repair their homes. The program is only available for storm victims who do not have adequate insurance to repair a damaged dwelling.

The letter also requests that Hinds County be granted FEMA’s Public Assistance Program that will allow the city and county government to be reimbursed for up to 75 percent of all eligible debris removal and overtime costs associated with the storm.

Assessment findings for the Public Assistance costs associated with the storm are estimated at $2,577,535. That estimate includes overtime and debris removal costs for both the cities of Clinton and Jackson, and Hinds County.

The Governor’s request is awaiting approval from the President and FEMA.

Source: Mississippi Governor