CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Governor Earl Ray Tomblin is asking President Barack Obama to add seven West Virginia counties to the Federal Disaster Declaration: Pocahontas, Webster, Clay, Roane, Monroe, Fayette and Summers.
“As we have continued the assessment over the last several days, these counties also have some pretty severe damage,” Tomblin said on Tuesday’s MetroNews “Talkline.”
It was not immediately clear how quickly the White House would take action on the request.
If approved, residents in those seven counties could join Kanawha County, Nicholas County and Greenbrier County in being eligible for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency with recovery efforts following the Flood of 2016.
As of Tuesday morning, 2,300 individuals in the three counties were registered with FEMA and upwards of $300,000 in emergency funds had already been paid out to those who qualified for the help, according to Mike Senycz, FEMA deputy division director.
“We’re pushing money out as people are registering,” he said.
Once registered, on-site inspections are scheduled with homeowners.
If approved, FEMA funds are transferred immediately to bank accounts electronically or, as an alternative, mailed to homeowners. Cash assistance can be used to pay for rent, other temporary housing or home repairs with a maximum payment of $33,000 per family.
Applications for disaster assistance can be submitted via phone at 1-800-621-FEMA, 1-800-621-3362 or online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov.
Upwards of 400 FEMA workers were either on the ground in West Virginia or en route as of Tuesday.
“More people are coming in, assistance is flowing,” Senycz reported.
On Tuesday, FEMA opened a Disaster Recovery Center at the Kanawha County Schools Warehouse in Crede, 3300 Pennsylvania Avenue, by Elk Elementary School.
FEMA reps will be on hand there until further notice to help people apply for disaster assistance and answer others questions from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.
In Greenbrier County, a FEMA Mobile Disaster Unit opened Tuesday in White Sulphur Springs at Emmanuel United Methodist Church, 136 Tressel St.
In Kanawha County, laundry and shower facilities were available at Elkview Middle School. The Tide Loads of Hope mobile laundry unit was open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday.
People who need cleanup assistance, are available to volunteer or want to donate can click here.
Free help with debris removal and other flood cleanup is a possibility by calling 1-800-451-1954, though those running the hotline have said assistance is not guaranteed due to the “overwhelming” need.
The U.S. Postal Service temporarily curtailed or relocated retail and delivery options in the hardest hit West Virginia locations. The list of affected Post Offices and alternate temporary locations, if necessary, are listed here.