13 more counties added to Mississippi’s federal disaster declaration
JACKSON, Miss. (MEMA PRESS RELEASED) – Gov. Phil Bryant’s request for 13 additional counties to be added to Federal Disaster Number 4429, for all categories of Public Assistance, has been approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Those counties include Alcorn, Carroll, Itawamba, Lafayette, Lee, Montgomery, Panola, Prentiss, Quitman, Tallahatchie, Union, Webster and Yalobusha Counties.
On April 23rd, Gov. Bryant announced that President Donald Trump originally declared Calhoun, Chickasaw, Clay, Grenada, Lowndes, Pontotoc and Tishomingo counties as federal disaster areas. That brings the total number of counties declared to 20. The declaration is in response to the severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding that impacted Mississippi from February 22 thru February 24, and ended with the rising of the Yazoo Basin backwater flooding on March 29, 2019.
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.
The Individual Assistance request (assistance to individuals and households) was denied. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) will appeal the ruling to FEMA.
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.
For more information about recovery efforts, visit MEMA’s website at www.msema.org. The best way to get up-to-date information is to “Like” MEMA on Facebook, @msemaorg or “Follow” us on Twitter @msema.
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