Missouri officials are working to obtain federal disaster financial assistance following wild weather that left damage in the state.
Locally, a May 4 storm packing high winds caused power outages, snapped poles, damaged buildings and affected businesses. Damage was estimated earlier at $1.2 million in Houston.
Gov. Mike Parson is requesting the Federal Emergency Management Agency to review damage reports and documentation from 19 Missouri counties. Texas County is not included. Parsons said additional assessments may be requested as damage information is received from more county officials.
Parson is requesting the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to review damage reports and documentation from 19 Missouri counties.
“The result was extensive damage to homes and businesses, widespread damage to electric power delivery systems and additional emergency response costs to communities that are already strapped by mounting expenditures because of COVID-19. Initial damage reports show a clear need for a formal review by FEMA as part of the federal disaster declaration process,” Parson said.
The governor requested FEMA to review damage reports in preparation for a public assistance disaster declaration request for Bates, Butler, Carter, Dallas, Douglas, Dunklin, Henry, Hickory, Howell, Laclede, New Madrid, Oregon, Pemiscot, Polk, Ripley, Shannon, Stoddard, Wayne, and Wright counties.
The local-state-federal damage documentation review process is part of the required FEMA process in preparation for a request from the governor for a federal disaster declaration.