Severe storms

Relief efforts underway throughout Midwest, but also in West Virginia

WASHINGTON -- June 09, 2008 -- Storms and heavy rainfall have caused serious flash flooding in already saturated areas of the central United States. In response, the American Red Cross has mobilized relief workers to six states in the devastated areas.

Flooded midwestern home: Photo by cabakus (CC)

Floods are among the most frequent and costly natural disasters in terms of human hardship and economic loss.    » read more »

AUGUSTA, Maine, June 3, 2008 -- Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is available to people whose employment or self-employment has been lost or interrupted as a direct result of the recent severe storms and flooding in Aroostook and Penobscot Counties. Those who were prevented from starting a new job or self-employment, or who are no longer working normal hours due to this disaster may also qualify for DUA assistance.

The deadline to register for DUA is approaching. Residents of Aroostook County must apply by June 13 and residents of Penobscot County must apply by June 18.    » read more »

May 27, 2008 -- President Bush signs a Major Declaration for the state of Iowa (Butler County) for Individual Assistance, emergency protective measures, limited to Direct Federal Assistance, and Hazard Mitigation statewide within hours after receiving the Governor’s request for an expedited declaration. FEMA continues to monitor the severe storms and tornadoes across the nation and work with federal, state and local partners to identify needs and resources needed to respond to respond to them.

Region 7/Iowa:

* FEMA Liaison deployed to State EOC.
* Mobile Disaster Recovery Center (MDRC) deploying to Parkersburg, IA from Joplin, MO to provide a command and control platform for FEMA responders.    » read more »

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 27, 2008 -- The head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced that federal disaster aid has been made available for Iowa to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding beginning on May 25, 2008, and continuing.

FEMA Administrator David Paulison said the assistance was authorized under a major disaster declaration issued for the state by President Bush. The President's action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Butler County.    » read more »

May 27, 2008 -- Following is a summary of key federal disaster aid programs that can be made available as needed and warranted under President Bush's major disaster declaration issued for Iowa.

Assistance for Affected Individuals and Families Can Include as Required:

* Rental payments for temporary housing for those whose homes are unlivable. Initial assistance may be provided for up to three months for homeowners and at least one month for renters. Assistance may be extended if requested after the initial period based on a review of individual applicant requirements. (Source: FEMA funded and administered.)    » read more »

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 11, 2008 -- The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is working closely with states impacted from the recent severe storms and tornadoes as they assess damages. DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff has spoken with the governors of Oklahoma and Missouri, and both he and FEMA Administrator David Paulison are expected to travel to impacted areas on Tuesday, May 13. State and local resources currently are addressing the most immediate needs as federal resources support their efforts.    » read more »

LITTLE ROCK, Ark., April 9, 2008 -- Federal disaster aid programs provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are available under a presidential disaster declaration to eligible residents living in Baxter, Benton, Independence, Jackson, Lawrence, Logan, Madison, Marion, Randolph, Stone and Woodruff.

Arkansas River Flooding: Photo by dewonn43 / David (CC)

If you don't have access to your home or the place you rented is uninhabitable because of flooding that occurred in March and April, you may request reimbursement for temporary housing. FEMA is making every effort to locate possible rental resources in or around disaster-stricken areas.    » read more »

March 27, 2008, SALEM, Ore. -- The severe storms, wind, mudslides, landslides and flooding that swept through Oregon Dec. 1-17, 2007, left a path of destruction. Oregonians will long remember the swirling floodwaters, damaged homes and tangled debris left in the wake of the storms.

In addition to homes and personal property destroyed, the storms inflicted heavy damage on schools, public buildings and left piles of debris to be cleaned up. The payment for rebuilding damages to public property falls into a separate category of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) aid called Public Assistance.

"There was significant damage to public buildings and massive amounts of debris to be cleared," said Glen R. Sachtleben, federal coordinating officer for the December storms.    » read more »

WASHINGTON, D.C. March 26, 2008 -- The head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that federal disaster aid has been made available for Arkansas to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding beginning on March 18, 2008, and continuing.    » read more »

March 15, 2008 -- ATLANTA – Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue released the following statement today concerning the severe weather that impacted downtown Atlanta last night:    » read more »

March 10, 2008, JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- To date, $6,941,209 in public assistance funding has been obligated to the State of Missouri to reimburse local governments and certain private nonprofits for their expenses related to the December 6-15, 2007 ice storm, federal officials announced today.

This amount represents almost 20 percent of the total estimated damage of more than $34.8 million to Missouri public facilities from the December storm. The funds are made available from the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).    » read more »

March 10, 2008, NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Nearly five weeks after Tennessee's severe storms and tornadoes, $6.7 million has been approved in disaster assistance grants and loans for homeowners, renters and business owners by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

Following are highlights of assistance as of Monday, March 10:    » read more »

March 3, 2008, NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Nearly one month after tornadoes ripped through Tennessee, more than $4.3 million has been approved in disaster assistance grants and loans for homeowners, renters and business owners by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).    » read more »

February 26, 2008, LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved a grant of $137,552 to the state's mental health agency to supplement state efforts to provide crisis counseling services for those affected by the Feb. 5 severe storms, tornadoes and flooding.

The federal funds will support counseling in Izard, Sharp, Stone and Van Buren counties. Counseling services in other counties will be funded by the state's mental health agency, the Division of Behavioral Health Services of the Arkansas Department of Health and Human Services.    » read more »

February 21, 2008, WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that federal disaster aid has been made available for the commonwealth of Kentucky to help people and communities recover from the effects of severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding during the period of February 5-6, 2008.    » read more »