Gov. Barbour announces Mississippi receives federal disaster declaration

DATE: May 9, 2011

GOVERNOR BARBOUR ANNOUNCES MISSISSIPPI
RECEIVES FEDERAL DISASTER DECLARATION

JACKSON– Gov. Haley Barbour announced today that residents in 18 counties affected by the severe storms, flooding and tornadoes April 15-April 28 are now eligible for federal disaster assistance.
Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Craig Fugate added the 18 counties tothe federal disaster declaration, bringing the total number of counties eligible for individual assistance to 29.

“This declaration will allow residents in these counties to access much needed federal assistance to begin rebuilding their lives,” Gov. Barbour said.

The new counties declared include: Alcorn, Attala, Clay, Coahoma, DeSoto, Grenada, Holmes, Leflore, Marshall, Montgomery, Newton, Panola, Quitman, Smith, Sunflower, Tishomingo, Tunica and Winston.
Counties already declared include: Chickasaw, Choctaw, Clarke, Greene, Hinds, Jasper, Kemper, Lafayette, Monroe, Neshoba and Webster.

Residents in these counties may register with FEMA for assistance online at http://www.disasterassistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or 1-800-462-7585(TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.

Individual assistance includes grants to help pay for rental housing, home repairs and other serious disaster-related expenses not met by insurance or other assistance programs.

For more information call MEMA’s Public Information Line at 866-519-MEMA.

-30-