FEMA to participate in joint damage assessment in 25 counties
Ryan Shiner
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
FEMA will participate in damage assessments of 25 counties that were impacted by flooding and storms earlier this month, according to a Wednesday press release from Gov. Mike Kehoe’s Office.
Kehoe requested the damage assessment last week for flooding that began on March 30 and storms that occurred on April 2.
Preliminary damage assessments have been requested for Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Cooper, Douglas, Dunklin, Howell, Iron, Madison, Maries, Mississippi, New Madrid, Oregon, Ozark, Pemiscot, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, Shannon, Stoddard, Texas, Vernon, Wayne and Webster counties. More counties could be added.
Requests were previously made for storms that impacted Missouri on March 14 and 15.
Our state and local public works crews have been doing an incredible job reopening roads and making initial repairs to bridges, low water crossings and other infrastructure, but it is clear that the extent of the damage across the state will require federal disaster assistance,” Kehoe said in the release. “Our State Emergency Management Agency, local and FEMA teams began assessing damage to homes and private property yesterday and will be working through the week. Next week, we will begin joint PDAs to document and tally the damage to public infrastructure and validate what we believe is a clear need for federal Public Assistance.”
The release says assessment teams are made up of representatives from FEMA, SEMA, and local emergency management officials. Six teams will begin verifying documented damage on Tuesday, April 22 to determine if public assistance can be requested.