Federal disaster aid is now available for the state of Tennessee to help in the recovery efforts following the storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding that lashed the state from June 5-10.
President Barrack Oabama made the funds available Wednesday through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency. The funding is available to state and local governments and some non-profit agencies for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the storms.
Direct assistance is available to counties in a band that stretches across the state: Anderson, Bledsoe, Carroll, Decatur, Henry, Hickman, Houston, Lawrence, Lewis, Madison, Marion, Maury, McNairy, Moore, Perry, Roane, Sequatchie, and Tipton.
The funds will help local governments remove debris, fix roads, bridges, utilities, buildings, schools, recreational areas, and other publicly owned properties.
Shelby County is not qualified for direct assistance. However, all Tennessee counties qualify for some federal assistance in mitigating hazards caused by the storms. W. Michael Moore, the Federal Coordinating Officer for the recovery effort, said more areas can later be designated for assistance.
June was the eighth wettest month on record for Memphis, according to the Memphis Weather Net blog. It was the second-wettest June on record for the city. Storms here produced some wind damage and some flash flooding. For the first half of the year, the blog says, Memphis was nearly one foot above normal precipitation.
