Disaster Number 4238

Disaster Update – 08/31/15
In response to Gov. Nixon’s request, the federal government expanded the federal major disaster declaration for damage from flash flooding and severe storms and added eight more Missouri counties to those that will receive disaster assistance. The additional counties are: Camden, Jackson, New Madrid, Nodaway, Oregon, Pemiscot, Phelps and St. Clair counties. The addition brings the total number of counties included in the major disaster declaration to 76 – the largest number of counties since the Great Flood of 1993.

The original federal public assistance disaster declaration was for the counties of: Adair, Andrew, Atchison, Audrain, Barry, Bates, Benton, Buchanan, Caldwell, Chariton, Christian, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Cole, Crawford, Dade, Dallas, Daviess, DeKalb, Douglas, Gentry, Harrison, Henry, Hickory, Holt, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Laclede, Lafayette, Lewis, Lincoln, Linn, Livingston, McDonald, Macon, Maries, Marion, Miller, Moniteau, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Osage, Ozark, Perry, Pettis, Pike, Platte, Polk, Putnam, Ralls, Ray, Ste. Genevieve, Saline, Schuyler, Scotland, Shannon, Shelby, Stone, Sullivan, Taney, Texas, Washington, Webster, Worth and Wright.

Public assistance allows local governments and eligible nonprofit agencies to seek assistance for response and recovery expenses associated with the severe weather and flooding.

Disaster Update – 08/19/15
At Gov. Nixon’s request, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) issued a disaster declaration covering the period from May 15 to July 27 for Jefferson, Lincoln and Marion counties, making residents and business owners in those counties and 13 contiguous counties whose properties sustained damage from the storms eligible for SBA assistance. The contiguous counties are Franklin, Lewis, Monroe, Montgomery, Pike, Ralls, St. Charles, St. Francois, St. Louis, Ste. Genevieve, Shelby, Warren and Washington.

The deadline to apply for the SBA assistance is Oct. 19. Residents and business owners in the 16 eastern Missouri counties can apply for low-interest loan assistance from the SBA. To help applicants meet the deadline, in-person assistance from SBA representatives will be available at Disaster Loan Outreach Centers located in Festus, Palmyra and Troy. The outreach centers will be open through Sept. 10.

SBA disaster loans are issued to homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private, non-profit organizations to repair or replace real estate, personal property, machinery and equipment, inventory and business assets that have been damaged or destroyed.

Disaster Update - 08/10/15
The federal government approved Gov. Nixon's request for a major disaster declaration for Missouri as a result of recurring severe storms that brought tornadoes and straight-line winds, along with repeated periods of heavy rain that caused widespread flooding across much of Missouri from May 15 to July 27. The federal government has approved public assistance for 68 Missouri counties, which allows local governments and non-profit organizations to seek assistance for response and recovery expenses associated with the storms.

The counties included in the federal public assistance disaster declaration are: Adair, Andrew, Atchison, Audrain, Barry, Bates, Benton, Buchanan, Caldwell, Chariton, Christian, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Cole, Crawford, Dade, Dallas, Daviess, DeKalb, Douglas, Gentry, Harrison, Henry, Hickory, Holt, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Laclede, Lafayette, Lewis, Lincoln, Linn, Livingston, McDonald, Macon, Maries, Marion, Miller, Moniteau, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Osage, Ozark, Perry, Pettis, Pike, Platte, Polk, Putnam, Ralls, Ray, Ste. Genevieve, Saline, Schuyler, Scotland, Shannon, Shelby, Stone, Sullivan, Taney, Texas, Washington, Webster, Worth and Wright.

Disaster Update – 07/21/15
Following joint damage assessments, Gov. Nixon requested a major disaster declaration for public assistance in the following 68 counties: Adair, Andrew, Atchison, Audrain, Barry, Bates, Benton, Buchanan, Caldwell, Chariton, Christian, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Cole, Crawford, Dade, Dallas, Daviess, DeKalb, Douglas, Gentry, Harrison, Henry, Hickory, Holt, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Laclede, Lafayette, Lewis, Lincoln, Linn, Livingston, McDonald, Macon, Maries, Marion, Miller, Moniteau, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Osage, Ozark, Perry, Pettis, Pike, Platte, Polk, Putnam, Ralls, Ray, Ste. Genevieve, Saline, Schuyler, Scotland, Shannon, Shelby, Stone, Sullivan, Taney, Texas, Washington, Webster, Worth and Wright.

Disaster
Beginning in mid-May, a series of severe storms moved across Missouri, generating tornadoes, straight line winds, heavy rain, hail, flooding and flash flooding across the state. The prolonged pattern of recurring severe storm systems brought record rainfall to many parts of the state, extensively damaging roads, bridges and other public infrastructure and resulted in at least 10 deaths. The Missouri Department of Transportation reported an estimated 870 total road closures.

On June 18, Gov. Nixon declared a state of emergency in response to the severe storms that were causing wind damage and widespread flooding across Missouri. The order activated the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC), which enables the state to mobilize its resources, including the State Emergency Management Agency, to assist local authorities.