CHARLESTON, W.Va. — President Donald Trump has approved federal individual assistance funding for Fayette, Harrison, and Kanawha counties following the devastating storms in mid-August.
Gov. Patrick Morrisey had announced that West Virginia submitted a federal disaster declaration request in September. In those three counties, 624 homes had some kind of impact from the high water between August 14 and August 18. Twenty-two homes were destroyed, 60 sustained major damage, 261 had minor damage, and 281 others were affected in some way. The state projects will take $4.5 million in individual assistance, according to the assessments made by the state. One woman in Fayette County died in the floodwaters.
Residents who suffered damages in those counties from the August storms can apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling the FEMA line at 800-621-3362, or on the FEMA mobile app.
Trump also approved public assistance for 11 counties in connection to the widespread storms on July 21. Those funds, going to Barbour, Doddridge, Lewis, Pendleton, Pleasants, Randolph, Ritchie, Tucker, Tyler, Upshur, and Wetzel counties, will pay for the emergency repairs, debris removal, and more that those areas performed following the severe weather.
“I want to thank President Trump and his administration for approving this assistance and continuing to stand with West Virginia as our communities recover,” Morrisey said. “Our local emergency managers, first responders and volunteers worked alongside the state and FEMA to document the damage and make the case for this assistance. We will keep working to get resources where they are needed and help these communities rebuild.”
Meanwhile, the state’s pursuit of individual assistance in Boone and Logan counties following the June storms was once again unsuccessful. West Virginia had appealed FEMA’s decision to deny assistance, but that denial was reaffirmed by federal officials.
“We are disappointed by the decision on Boone and Logan counties, but we are not going to stop working for those communities,” Morrisey said. “Families there suffered real losses, and we will continue working with state and local partners to identify resources that can help them recover.”