Missouri Governor requests FEMA aid for 12 counties after devastating storms
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KQTV) -- Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe has requested the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to approve a major disaster declaration for 12 counties in response to severe weather.
The severe weather, including tornadoes, flooding and large hail, caused over $36 million in damage.
The request includes Individual Assistance for six counties and Public Assistance for ten counties. The largest hailstone ever recorded in Springfield, at 4.75 inches in diameter, was confirmed to have fallen on April 28.
“Last week, local, state, and federal assessment teams documented the high level of destruction and significant response costs that were a result of this severe weather system, which included at least eight confirmed tornadoes and softball-sized hail in some areas,” Governor Kehoe said. “The damage in Greene County alone surpassed the total state threshold to qualify for federal disaster assistance. When the damage in all the other counties is included, the total is triple Missouri’s damage threshold, and beyond the capacity of these hard-hit communities to meet without federal assistance.”
Kehoe is requesting FEMA Individual Assistance in Clay, Greene, Holt, Randolph and Saline counties after more than 140 households were verified as having sustained uninsured damage. Over half the impacted individuals are rengers.
Kehoe is also requesting FEMA Public Assistance for Carroll, Chariton, Greene, Holt, Howard, Monroe, Randolph, Ripley, Salin and St. Francois counties. If approved, local governments and qualifying nonprofit agencies may seek federal assistance for reimbursement of emergency response and recovery costs.
The state is also preparing for a potential second federal disaster declaration in response to another damaging storm system.
Missouri requested that FEMA participate in joint Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDA) in a total of 11 counties in response to tornadoes, severe storms, straight-line winds, heavy rains, large hail and flooding from May 16 through May 19.
Joint PDAs conducted by FEMA, SEMA and local officials for a potential request for FEMA Public Assistance have been requested for Andrew, Atchison, Camden, Daviess, Grundy, Harrison, Holt, Morgan, Nodaway, Sullivan and Worth counties, and would begin on May 27.
Missouri's per-capita threshold for public assistance is $11.9 million, which is determined by FEMA based on 2020 census data.
For additional resources and information about disaster recovery in Missouri, including general cleanup, housing assistance and mental health services, visit recovery.mo.gov.
