Governor Kehoe Requests Major Federal Disaster Declaration for 26 Missouri Counties

Jefferson City, Mo. (KFMO) - Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe has officially requested a major federal disaster declaration from President Donald Trump to aid recovery efforts in 26 counties across the state following a devastating series of storms, tornadoes, and flooding that swept through Missouri from March 30 to April 8. The storms resulted in six confirmed deaths and caused extensive damage to homes, infrastructure, and communities.

“Missouri has repeatedly been hit hard by severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding this year and the result has been widespread damage and destruction of homes, private property, and public infrastructure,” Kehoe said in a statement Thursday. “While Missourians and faith-based and volunteer organizations have been supporting their neighbors and local and state government are working hard at recovery, the cost of these efforts – often because of repeated damage in the same counties – is beyond the capacity of local communities and the state to bear in full.”

The disaster declaration request includes FEMA Individual Assistance for 20 counties, allowing eligible residents to apply for federal aid covering temporary housing, repairs, replacement of personal property, and other disaster-related needs. These counties are:

Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Cooper, Dunklin, Howell, Iron, Mississippi, New Madrid, Oregon, Ozark, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, Shannon, Stoddard, Vernon, Washington, and Wayne.

Additionally, FEMA Public Assistance has been requested for 25 counties, which would provide federal funding to help local governments and certain nonprofit organizations recover from disaster-related emergency costs and infrastructure damage. Public Assistance would reimburse expenses such as emergency response efforts, and the repair and replacement of damaged roads, bridges, and public buildings.

Counties included in the Public Assistance request are:

Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Cooper, Douglas, Dunklin, Howell, Iron, Madison, Maries, Mississippi, New Madrid, Oregon, Ozark, Pemiscot, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, Shannon, Stoddard, Texas, Vernon, Wayne, and Webster.

This latest disaster request comes just weeks after Governor Kehoe submitted a previous request on April 2 for 18 of the same counties due to earlier storm-related damages.

Joint damage assessments by FEMA, the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), the U.S. Small Business Administration, and local officials estimate more than $25.5 million in emergency response costs and public infrastructure damages statewide.

Missourians still in need of help are urged to reach out to the United Way by calling 2-1-1, or the American Red Cross at 1-800-733-2767. For ongoing updates, assistance resources, and recovery tools, visit recovery.mo.gov.