(AP) — The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency says more counties have been approved for federal disaster assistance following damage by April storms.
MEMA announced Saturday that individuals in six more counties — Clarke, Grenada, Jasper, Lawrence, Panola and Walthall — have been approved for assistance.
Governments have been approved for additional assistance in three counties — Jones, Covington and Jefferson Davis. That means they can get aid to remove debris and do permanent repair work on roads, bridges, water treatment plants, utilities and parks.
FEMA initially approved individual and more limited government assistance in Jones, Covington and Jefferson Davis counties.
The state is asking FEMA to approve assistance to governments in 25 more of Mississippi’s 82 counties.
MEMA says it will open disaster assistance centers in the newly approved counties. Residents in counties approved for individual assistance can begin applying for federal aid by registering online at http://www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA(3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired.
Easter tornadoes in Mississippi damaged more than 1,400 homes and 80 businesses, killing 12 people. The National Weather Service confirmed a total of 15 twisters, including one storm with top winds of 190 miles with a path that stretched for 68 miles across southern Mississippi and a damage field that topped out at 2.25 miles wide.