Disaster Number 1980

05/22/2011 - Joplin Tornado and Severe Storms

On May 24, 2011, Gov. Jay Nixon signed Executive Order 11-10 extending a state of emergency in Missouri in response to severe weather in the Joplin, MO area. At 5:41 p.m. on May 22, a three-quarter of a mile wide tornado touched down in Joplin. The tornado tracked on the ground for approximately six miles. There were more than 150 fatalities and more than 5,000 structures were estimated to be heavily damaged or destroyed. Gov. Jay Nixon activated the Missouri National Guard and directed all available response resources be deployed to the area.

Disaster Update—6/22/11

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has extended federal disaster assistance to three additional counties in Missouri. Carter, Lawrence and Wayne counties have been approved to receive individual assistance, which means eligible residents there can seek federal assistance for uninsured losses for expenses that include temporary housing, home repair and replacement of household items.

Since President Barack Obama first granted Gov. Nixon’s request for a major disaster declaration on May 9, the following 25 counties have been designated for individual assistance: Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Dunklin, Howell, Jasper, Lawrence, McDonald, Mississippi, New Madrid, Newton, Pemiscot, Pettis, Phelps, Pulaski, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, St. Francois, St. Louis, Stoddard, Stone, Taney and Wayne.

Since May 9, 38 Missouri counties have been designated for public assistance, allowing the county and local governments there to seek assistance for response and recovery expenses associated with the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding. Those counties are: Barry, Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Christian, Douglas, Dunklin, Howell, Iron, Jasper, Madison, McDonald, Miller, Mississippi, New Madrid, Newton, Oregon, Ozark, Pemiscot, Perry, Pettis, Polk, Reynolds, Ripley, St. Louis, Ste. Genevieve, St. Francois, Scott, Shannon, Stone, Stoddard, Taney, Texas, Washington, Wayne, Webster and Wright.

Disaster Update – 6/14/11

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has extended public disaster assistance to two additional counties in Missouri. Miller and Pettis counties have been approved for public assistance following the tornado that hit Sedalia May 25 and flooding in Miller County. In addition to public assistance, Pettis County has also been approved for individual assistance.

Disaster Update – 6/3/11

Gov. Nixon requested that the federal government cover 100 percent of the costs associated with public assistance following the severe storms and flooding that have hit Missouri since April 19. In his request, Gov. Nixon asked that the federal government adjust its standard 75 percent coverage to allow for at least a 90 percent federal match, with a 10 percent match from the state and local governments.

Disaster Update – 6/1/11

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has extended public disaster assistance to 22 additional counties in Missouri. Barry, Carter, Christian, Douglas, Oregon, Ozark, Polk, Shannon, Texas, Washington, Webster and Wright counties were all approved for public assistance only.

Cape Girardeau, Dunklin, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Ripley, St. Francois and Stone counties were already approved for individual assistance and are now eligible for public assistance. Jasper and Newton counties were also approved for public assistance in addition to a previous designation for individual assistance, debris removal and emergency protective assistance.

Disaster Update – 5/31/11

Gov. Jay Nixon announced that the federal government will pay for 90 percent of the cost of expedited debris removal in parts of the Joplin area that received extensive damage from the May 22 tornado. The federal funding will help with the expedited removal of millions of cubic yards of debris from the location of homes, businesses and other buildings in Joplin.

Disaster Update – 5/27/11

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has extended individual disaster assistance to six additional counties and public assistance to 13 additional counties in Missouri. Some counties were designated for individual assistance only; some for public assistance only; and some for both individual and public assistance.

Dunklin, Pemiscot, Phelps and St. Francois counties were approved for individual assistance only. Iron, Madison, Perry, Ste. Genevieve and Wayne counties were approved for public assistance only. Butler, Howell, McDonald, Scott, Stoddard, Taney counties were already approved for individual assistance and are now also eligible for public assistance. Bollinger and Reynolds counties were approved for both public assistance and individual assistance.

Disaster Update – 5/23/11

The Federal Emergency Management Agency extended disaster assistance to Jasper and Newton counties following the deadly tornado that impacted the area on May 22.

In addition to granting individual assistance, the federal government also granted a public assistance declaration for Jasper and Newton counties for costs associated emergency protective measures and debris removal. That designation will allow local governments there to seek assistance for response and recovery expenses associated with yesterday's severe storm and tornadoes.

04/22/2011 - Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

On April 22, 2011, Gov. Jay Nixon signed Executive Order 11-06 to declare a state of emergency in Missouri in response to severe weather that began earlier this evening. The weather system has involved tornadoes and high winds and has caused significant damage to communities and facilities across Missouri, including Lambert-St. Louis International Airport.

Disaster Update – 5/20/11

The disaster declaration for areas across Missouri hit in April and May by severe storms, tornadoes and flooding was extended to Cape Girardeau, Howell, McDonald, Pulaski, Ripley, Scott, Stoddard and Stone counties. With the addition of these counties, the federal government will provide individual assistance to a total of 13 Missouri counties impacted by the storm.

Disaster Update – 05/09/11

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that federal disaster aid has been made available to Missouri to supplement the state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding beginning on April 19, 2011, and continuing.

The President's action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in the counties of Butler, Mississippi, New Madrid, St. Louis, and Taney. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

More information on this disaster is available on FEMA's Web site.

Assistance Resource

Detailed Instructions on Getting Assistance from the SBA – 05/10/11

Low-interest federal disaster loans from SBA are available to homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and private, non-profit organizations in Butler, Mississippi, New Madrid, St. Louis and Taney counties to help with residential and business losses.

• Homeowners may borrow up to $200,000 to repair or replace their disaster-damaged primary residence.
• Homeowners and renters may borrow up to $40,000 to replace disaster-damaged personal property, including vehicles.
• Businesses of any size and private, non-profit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other assets.
• Interest rates can be as low as 2.688% for homeowners and renters, 4% for businesses and 3% private non-profit organizations. Terms may be up to 30 years, SBA determines loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.
• Small businesses and most private, non-profit organizations of any size may borrow to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster (regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage) The maximum business disaster loan is $2 million for any combination of property damage and working capital.

These working capital loans are available in the counties listed above and the neighboring Missouri counties of Carter, Christian, Douglas, Dunklin, Franklin, Jefferson, Ozark, Pemiscot, Ripley, St. Charles, St. Louis City, Scott, Stoddard, Stone and Wayne.