Disaster declarations

Additional areas can be added as damage assessments continue

May 27, 2009 -- CHARLESTON, W.Va. – West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin today announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has declared three additional southern West Virginia counties eligible for disaster aid following extensive flooding earlier this month.

McDowell and Raleigh Counties have been added for individual assistance and public assistance, and Mercer County for public assistance. Gov. Manchin this past weekend had requested the additional counties be added to the existing declaration for Mingo and Wyoming counties.    » read more »

Additional areas can be added as damage assessments continue

May 25, 2009 -- CHARLESTON, W.Va. – West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin has requested the addition of McDowell, Mercer and Raleigh Counties to the current federal disaster declaration for southern West Virginia, following severe storms, flooding, mudslides and landslides that occurred earlier this month.

The governor has requested the addition of McDowell and Raleigh Counties for both Individual and Public Assistance and he has requested the addition of Mercer County for Public Assistance.    » read more »

2009 Spring Floods One of Worst Seasons on Record

May 25, 2009, Fairbanks, Alaska - Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has sent a letter to the federal government officially requesting a federal disaster declaration for the spring floods of 2009. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) sent preliminary damage assessment teams into the field last week and they are working their way down the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers village by village.    » read more »

May 21, 2009 -- Oklahoma City -- Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry today requested that President Obama grant public assistance for 17 Oklahoma counties in the aftermath of severe storms, tornadoes and flooding that battered parts of the state between April 25 and May 16.

The counties included are: Alfalfa, Cherokee, Choctaw, Craig, Dewey, Garfield, Garvin, Grant, Jefferson, Love, Major, Mayes, Nowata, Rogers, Tillman, Wagoner and Woods. More counties can be added to the request as additional information becomes available.    » read more »

May 21, 2009, Juneau, Alaska – Responding to the flooding on the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers, the State of Alaska has officially requested a preliminary damage assessment (PDA) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to evaluate the losses in residential property, businesses and public infrastructure.

“The state emergency managers have done a terrific job working with local responders to coordinate response and initial recovery to this year’s spring flooding,” Governor Sarah Palin said. “Now we must rebuild our communities and this formal request is the first step in that process.”    » read more »

May 20, 2009 -- JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri Governor Jay Nixon today asked President Barack Obama to declare a major disaster for the state of Missouri as a result of the severe storm system that plagued many parts of the state from May 8 to May 16 with high winds, hail, tornadoes, heavy rain, flooding and flash flooding.

The storm system was responsible for seven fatalities, 21 serious injuries, widespread property damage, and, at its peak, more than 150,000 utility customers being without power. Approximately 1,700 customers remain without power in Iron, Madison and Ripley counties as a result of the storm system.    » read more »

May 20, 2009 -- LITTLE ROCK - Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe today declared Ashley, Cleburne, Greene, Howard, Jackson, Marion, Nevada, Ouachita, Pike and Polk Counties state disaster areas, taking the total of flood-related county declarations to 42. Last week, Beebe declared Arkansas, Bradley, Calhoun, Chicot, Clark, Cleveland, Conway, Dallas, Drew, Fulton, Garland, Grant, Hempstead, Hot Spring, Lafayette, Lee, Lincoln, Little River, Lonoke, Jefferson, Miller, Monroe, Perry, Phillips, Pope, Poinsett, Prairie, Saline, Searcy, Stone, St. Francis and Union Counties.    » read more »

May 15, 2009 -- The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Tennessee and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding on April 10, 2009.

Federal funding is available to State and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding in Benton, McMinn, Rutherford, and Sequatchie Counties.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Terry L. Quarles has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area.    » read more »

Additional areas can be added as damage assessments continue

May 15, 2009 -- CHARLESTON, W.Va. – West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin and state emergency management officials late this afternoon received word that President Obama has approved the governor’s request for a federal disaster declaration for southern West Virginia, following severe storms, flooding, mudslides and landslides that occurred last weekend.

This designation enables federal funding and personnel to be allocated to the flood-ravaged areas to assist with cleanup efforts and to provide additional assistance to those who were directly affected by the flooding and storms.    » read more »

May 13, 2009 -- FRANKFORT, Ky.—Following the devastating storms and extensive flooding that have ravaged parts of the state and forced hundreds of thousands of Kentuckians from their homes, Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear asked President Barack Obama this afternoon to declare a major disaster for impacted areas of the state.    » read more »

Bill Gives Communities Flexible Financing Options in Recovering from the 2008 Disasters

May 12, 2009 -- DES MOINES – Iowa Governor Chet Culver today signed into law Senate File 457, a bill which gives cities and counties facing disaster-recovery efforts additional financing options.

"Today, we take another step forward in our state's disaster recovery efforts," said Governor Culver. "With so many communities still working to recover from last year's historic natural disasters, now communities have a new tool to meet our ongoing challenges. As Governor, I will continue to do everything I can to rebuild our communities, and I look forward to working with all Iowans to build a stronger, safer future."    » read more »

May 12, 2009 -- LITTLE ROCK - Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe has declared Arkansas, Bradley, Calhoun, Chicot, Clark, Cleveland, Conway, Dallas, Drew, Fulton, Garland, Grant, Hempstead, Hot Spring, Lafayette, Lee, Lincoln, Little River, Lonoke, Jefferson, Miller, Monroe, Perry, Phillips, Pope, Poinsett, Prairie, Saline, Searcy, Stone, St. Francis and Union Counties state disaster areas due to the damage caused by heavy rains and flooding that began on April 27.

The declaration also authorizes $200,000 in individual assistance from the Governor's Disaster Fund for flood victims in Clark, Dallas, Jefferson, Garland, Lonoke, Miller, Monroe, Phillips, Poinsett, and Saline Counties.    » read more »

Tours Flood-Stricken Community of Eagle

May 12, 2009, Anchorage, Alaska – Alaska Governor Sarah Palin yesterday toured the flood-stricken community of Eagle, located about 200 miles east of Fairbanks. Dozens of homes have been destroyed in Eagle after ice jams caused the Yukon River to flood. The governor and John Madden, director of the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, overflew Fort Yukon and the village of Circle on approach to Eagle.

Governor Palin met with numerous officials during the trip, including Assistant Mayor Bo Fay, Emergency Coordinator Krystie Depue and First Chief Joyce Roberts. All-terrain vehicles were used to travel from Eagle to Eagle Village downriver.    » read more »

May 11, 2009 -- JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri Governor Jay Nixon today sent joint federal and state damage assessment teams to 28 counties in southern Missouri that were affected by the May 8 storm system that brought tornadoes, straight line winds and flash flooding. The teams will canvass areas with local officials, verifying damage to homes and businesses from the storm to support the Governor's request for Federal Disaster Assistance.

"It is imperative that our citizens receive help to recover from last week's devastating storms," Gov. Nixon said. "Many communities are still without power, and we are working diligently with local officials and the utility companies to expedite the recovery effort."    » read more »

Yukon, Kuskokwim, Kobuk and Susitna Rivers all show potential to damage communities

May 6, 2009, Anchorage, Alaska - Alaska Governor Sarah Palin declared a disaster for the flooding event in the Interior of Alaska, including the drainages of the Yukon, Kuskokwim, Kobuk, and Susitna Rivers. The disaster declaration will allow greater coordination between state agencies and easier access to state disaster relief funds, and will pave the way for receipt of federal funds from a possible federal disaster declaration.    » read more »