Federal assistance requested
for storm, flood damaged areas
By By Steve Gillespie / staff writer
April 15, 2003
Emergency management officials are now waiting for word from the federal government whether Lauderdale County and other areas of Mississippi will formally be declared a disaster area.
Gov. Ronnie Musgrove asked President Bush on Monday to declare parts of the state a disaster after severe storms last week spawned tornadoes and flash floods damaging hundreds of homes.
Musgrove specifically requested individual assistance, crisis counseling and small business administration disaster loans for 29 counties including Clarke, Kemper, Lauderdale, Neshoba, Newton and Scott.
Severe weather
The National Weather Service confirmed six different tornadoes hit parts of the state during the storms that cut across Central Mississippi on April 6 and 7. One tornado struck northwest Lauderdale County.
In Meridian and Lauderdale County, heavy rains sent drainage canals over their banks and flooded homes. Storm runoff then sent the Chickasawhay River to record heights last week in Clarke County.
Officers with the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks were called to assist the sheriff's departments of Clarke, Hinds and Rankin counties as well as other agencies.
They helped evacuate 13 people in Clarke County and 36 people in Lauderdale County from flooded property.
Cheri Barry, executive director of the Key chapter of the American Red Cross, said her organization opened shelters in Lauderdale and Clarke counties for flood victims.
Victims' needs
Barry said the Red Cross is still meeting the immediate needs of families affected by the storms. She said the Key chapter has helped about 160 families in Lauderdale, Newton and Clarke counties.
State Insurance Commissioner George Dale said Friday the storms caused at least $20 million worth of damage.
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency is also working with local, state and federal officials to determine the extent of damage to public property and infrastructure.
The assessments will be used to confirm the initial damage to roads, bridges, public buildings and some private, nonprofit entities. The preliminary damage assessments will determine if the state meets the criteria for federal assistance.
Neal Carson, Lauderdale County engineer, said he met with officials with the state and federal emergency management agencies on Monday and that they were pleased with the documentation of damaged roads and bridges in the county.
Carson estimated the county had $195,000 in damages to roads and bridges.
