The White House and FEMA have granted Governor Roy Cooper’s Sept. 23 request for a major disaster declaration for 15 North Carolina counties that were hit hard by Hurricane Isaias.
“This declaration from our federal partners will help us rebuild stronger and smarter, so our communities can recover from the damage done by Hurricane Isaias,” said Gov. Cooper.
The declaration for Public Assistance covers Beaufort, Bertie, Brunswick, Carteret, Chowan, Columbus, Craven, Hertford, Hyde, Jones, New Hanover, Onslow, Pamlico, Pender and Pitt counties. It provides federal reimbursement to county and state governments and some nonprofit organizations for much of the cost to respond to the storm and repair damaged infrastructure. It can also provide federal reimbursement for debris removal as well as search and rescue operations, hazardous material clean up, meals, generators, fuel and more. Additional counties may be added to the declaration later.
Hurricane Isaias made landfall Aug. 3 near Ocean Isle Beach and caused major flooding in several communities. Four deaths were attributed to the storm that spurred several tornadoes, damaged water supply lines, roads and bridges and knocked out power to more than 375,000 homes and businesses.
Governor Cooper previously signed a state disaster declaration for Bertie and surrounding counties and received a disaster declaration from the U.S. Small Business Administration, after a tornado that spun out of Hurricane Isaias struck a neighborhood in Windsor on August 4. SBA low interest disaster loans and state individual assistance grants are available to residents recovering from that tornado.
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