Four More Counties Approved for Federal Assistance After Floods, Storms

OKLAHOMA CITY (June 17, 2019) - Governor Kevin Stitt announced today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved the state's request for disaster assistance for four more Oklahoma counties impacted by flooding, tornadoes, severe storms and straight-line winds.

The disaster assistance benefits individuals and business owners affected by severe storms that have occurred since May 7 in Cherokee, Le Flore, Noble and Nowata counties.

Canadian, Creek, Delaware, Kay, Logan, Mayes, Muskogee, Okmulgee, Osage, Ottawa, Payne, Pottawatomie, Rogers, Sequoyah, Tulsa, Wagoner, and Washington counties have already been approved for Individual Assistance.

The designation makes available federal assistance for housing repairs or temporary housing, U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) low-interest loans for individuals and businesses to repair or replace damaged property, disaster unemployment assistance, and grants for serious needs and necessary disaster expenses not met by other programs.

To apply for disaster assistance individuals and business owners may call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or go online at www.disasterassistance.gov. FEMA will also have Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams on site in the declared counties listed above to help people register for FEMA aid.

FEMA did not approve three counties included in the state’s request for aid: Beaver, Custer and Seminole. It is important that homeowners, renters and business owners in Beaver, Custer and Seminole counties contact FEMA to report their damages in order to provide data that will guide the state in its next steps to help these communities.

Governor Stitt stressed that the state will continue to request additional counties be added to the Individual Assistance Major Disaster Declaration as damage assessments of impacted homes and businesses are completed.

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