President Obama Signs West Virginia Disaster Declaration

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of West Virginia and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by several storms, tornados, flooding, mudslides, and landslides during the period of February 29 to March 5, 2012.

The President's action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in the counties of Lincoln, Marion, and Wayne.

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.

Federal funding also is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair of replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms, tornadoes, flooding, mudslides, and landslides in the counties of Doddridge, Harrison, Lincoln, Marion, Mingo, Monongalia, Preston, Ritchie, Roane, Taylor, and Wayne.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Deanne Criswell as the Federal Coordinating Officer for the federal recovery operations in the affected area.

FEMA said additional designations may be made as a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

FEMA said that residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated counties can begin applying for assistance tomorrow by registering 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. (local time) seven days a week until further notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT: FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@DHS.GOV