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Statement by the Press Secretary: President Obama Signs Mississippi Disaster Declaration

April 29, 2010

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Mississippi and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding during the period of April 23-24, 2010.

The President's action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals in Attala, Choctaw, Holmes, Warren and Yazoo Counties.

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 is available to State and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis in Choctaw and Yazoo Counties for debris removal (Category A), for 72 hours of the State’s choosing and emergency protective measures (Category B), limited to direct Federal assistance, under the Public Assistance program.

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 Michael Bolch as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area.

FEMA said that damage surveys are continuing in other areas, and more counties and additional forms of assistance may be designated after the assessments are fully completed.

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)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: FEMA (202) 646-3272.

Barack Obama, Statement by the Press Secretary: President Obama Signs Mississippi Disaster Declaration Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/290604

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