Gov. Jay Nixon on Wednesday requested that the federal government issue a major disaster declaration for Missouri as a result of the severe storms, tornadoes and prolonged flooding that affected large portions of the state from May 29 to June 10.
The storm system, which included an EF-3 tornado in the St. Louis region on May 31, caused extensive damage to communities and facilities across the state.
Widespread flooding left damage to bridges and roads in Texas County. Damage to Camp Road where water went over a new bridge there. 
“On May 29, a severe storm system began tracking across much of Missouri, bringing tornadoes and torrential rains that left flooding and extensive damage to homes, businesses and public infrastructure in its wake,” Nixon said. “Missourians have been hit with high repair costs as they work to recover, local communities and state agencies have been burdened with excessive response costs, and expenses for repairing destroyed infrastructure will be very high.”
The governor said joint damage assessments have been conducted in 30 Missouri counties.
“I want to thank local emergency managers and other officials for their efforts over the last few weeks to thoroughly categorize the extent of the damage that was done,” Nixon said. “Those efforts will help support our request to the federal government for assistance.”
In Texas County, Emergency Management Director Bennie Cook completed an assessment.
Nixon’s disaster declaration request is for public assistance in the following 30 counties: Barton, Callaway, Cape Girardeau, Cedar, Chariton, Clark, Howard, Iron, Knox, Lewis, Lincoln, Maries, Marion, Miller, Montgomery, Osage, Perry, Pettis, Pike, Putnam, Ralls, Shelby, Stoddard, Sullivan, St. Charles, St. Louis, Ste. Genevieve, Texas, Vernon and Webster.
In addition, the governor is seeking individual assistance for these seven counties within that group: Callaway, Lincoln, Montgomery, Osage, Pike, St. Charles and St. Louis.
Public assistance allows local governments to seek assistance for response and recovery expenses associated with the severe weather and flooding; individual assistance means that eligible individuals and households can seek federal assistance for uninsured losses from severe weather and flooding.
The disaster period covered by the request followed similar severe weather and flooding that occurred in April. Gov. Nixon first declared a state of emergency in Missouri on April 10, in response to flooding brought on by a prolonged period of heavy rain. That same day, the governor mobilized the Missouri National Guard to assist communities fighting rising floodwaters.