Image courtesy of the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency
26 counties have been added to the federal disaster declaration following the storms that tore through Mississippi on Easter Sunday.
According to MEMA, the following counties are now eligible public assistance through FEMA: Bolivar, Calhoun, Carroll, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Clarke, Clay, Coahoma, Grenada, Holmes, Jasper, Lafayette, Lawrence, Leake, Montgomery, Noxubee, Panola, Quitman, Smith, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tunica, Walthall, Webster and Yalobusha.
Initially, Jones, Covington and Jefferson Davis Counties were approved for public assistance.
The purpose of the Public Assistance (PA) Grant Program is to support communities’ recovery from major disasters by providing them with grant assistance for debris removal, life-saving emergency protective measures, and restoring public infrastructure.
Local governments, states, tribes, territories and certain private nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply.
Damage assessments show that over 1,400 homes were damaged and 14 Mississippians tragically died as 15 tornadoes touched down across the state on April 12th.
Also, following the Pearl River flooding event in February, FEMA approved Wilkinson County for public assistance as well. MEMA has requested that Issaquena and Sharkey counties be approved for public assistance and continue to wait for FEMA’s decision on those additions.
