Bush declares 28 counties disaster area
By By Fredie Carmichael / staff writer
April 25, 2003
Flooded homes, wind-torn buildings, washed-out roads and other property damaged by torrential rains and flash floods this month could be repaired with help from the federal government.
President Bush on Thursday declared 28 Mississippi counties including Lauderdale and six others in East Mississippi a disaster area. The move triggers the release of federal funds to help the recovery effort.
Bush's announcement came a week after Gov. Ronnie Musgrove formally requested the assistance.
The April 6 and 7 storms struck Central Mississippi from the Jackson metropolitan area east to the Meridian-Lauderdale County area producing torrential rains, gusty winds and small tornadoes.
A tornado struck the northwest portion of Lauderdale County, causing some damage in the Martin-Collinsville area.
In Meridian and Lauderdale County, heavy rains, high winds and hail flooded streets and sent the city's drainage canals over their banks and into some homes and residents' yards.
Storm runoff then moved south, swelling the Chickasawhay River, sending it to record heights in Clarke County, forcing it out of its banks and leaving residents scurrying for shelter.
In Lauderdale County, about 78 homes, 43 apartments and 23 mobile homes were damaged in the storms, according to estimates by the Key Chapter of the American Red Cross.
The county also had about $210,000 in damage to county streets and clean-up efforts to remove fallen trees.
With the federal assistance, residents and homeowners of Lauderdale, Clarke and Newton counties in East Mississippi will be able to apply for grants to help fund necessary repairs.
Other residents including those in Lauderdale, Clarke, Kemper, Newton, Jasper, Neshoba and Wayne counties will be able to apply for low-interest loans backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
County and city governments in Lauderdale, Clarke and Newton counties also will have an opportunity to receive money to pay for 75 percent of costs associated with repairing damaged public properties including streets and bridges.
U.S. Rep. Chip Pickering, who represents East Mississippi as the 3rd District congressman, helped persuade President Bush to make the federal funds available.
In a letter to the president last week, Pickering said: "Storms can damage the structures of our communities, but not the communities themselves."
The president's decision to make the disaster declaration came after he reviewed the Federal Emergency Management Agency's analysis of the state's request.
FEMA will now coordinate the distribution of the available funds by helping residents and business owners complete their applications.
Butler said within the next two weeks, FEMA officials will open a central office in Meridian to help residents apply for the assistance.
WHO TO CALL
Residents and business owners seeking assistance can begin the application process by calling the Federal Emergency Management Agency at (800) 621-3362. Those with hearing or speech problems can call (800) 462-7585. The phone lines open at 8 a.m. today.
