Governor Roy Cooper today issued a state public assistance disaster declaration for the town of Tryon in Polk County and the Village of Cedar Rock in Caldwell County to help these local governments recover costs spent cleaning up from fall storms. Both communities were hit by tornadoes that formed from the remnants of Tropical Storm Nate in October 2017.
“When a big storm hits a small town, the result can be overwhelming to a local budget,” said Governor Cooper. “This assistance will help these communities recover funds spent clearing storm debris and providing emergency services, and will allow local services to continue without financial hardship.”
The Town of Tryon spent nearly $43,000 on debris removal and operating generators to power town facilities. The Village of Cedar Rock spent more than $16,000 clearing debris. In each case, the amount spent on storm recovery exceeded $10,000 and one percent of the municipality’s total annual operating budget, qualifying the towns for state assistance.
The Governor’s declaration means state funds will help pay for 75 percent of the cost of the debris removal and emergency protective measures. The communities will be responsible for the remaining 25 percent. Tryon will receive $32,122 and Cedar Rock will receive $12,288.
Hurricane Nate caused widespread destruction and casualties in Central America in early October, and became the costliest natural disaster in Costa Rica’s history. It made landfall twice on the U.S. Gulf Coast, first at the Mississippi River delta in Louisiana and again near Biloxi, Mississippi, before reaching western North Carolina as a weakened tropical storm on October 8. Nate killed 46 people in Central America and two in the United States.