WASHINGTON, D.C. — A federal disaster declaration was issued Friday by President Donald Trump for counties affected by the severe storms and flooding of July 28-29.
The assistance includes coverage of a large share of the cost of damages to public infrastructure in Doddridge, Harrison, Marion, Marshall, Monongalia, Ohio, Preston, Randolph, Taylor, Tucker, Tyler, and Wetzel counties. The declaration also extends individual assistance to private property owners impacted in Marshall, Marion, Wetzel, and Harrison Counties.
Although the state sought individual assistance for Ohio County, it was not included.
“When they looked at the concentration of damage, they didn’t seen enough of the majors or destroyed in Ohio County to warrant the federal declaration,” said West Virginia Homeland Security and Emergency Management Director Jimmy Gianto. “We’re going to go back and look to see if there are more houses that may have been missed in the first effort.”
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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 according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA will oversee application and disbursement of the federal disaster funding. Damage assessments by inspectors from FEMA will continue and additional designations are possible for other areas in the future.
“The most important thing right now is for people impacted to call and register with FEMA,” Gianto said. “Once they get registered, FEMA will reach out to them and send an inspector to begin starting to help get them some assistance as soon as possible.”
Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in the designated area can begin applying for assistance immediately by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362).