Dozen Counties Qualified For Disaster Aid

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Individuals in a dozen more counties have the go-ahead to apply for federal disaster aid for damage caused by recent flooding and severe weather in Oklahoma. Governor Brad Henry

Monday, September 17th 2007, 3:44 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Individuals in a dozen more counties have the go-ahead to apply for federal disaster aid for damage caused by recent flooding and severe weather in Oklahoma. Governor Brad Henry made the announcement Monday. Citizens in the 12 counties can now apply for federal dollars to help with housing repairs, temporary shelter, disaster unemployment aid, grants for serious needs and expenses not met by other programs.

The assistance covers damage from flooding and storms from Aug. 18 through Sept. 12.

The most recent counties to be approved for individual assistance are Canadian, Cleveland, Comanche, Custer, Grady, Kiowa, Okfuskee, Oklahoma, Okmulgee, Pottawatomie, Seminole and Stephens.

Blaine, Caddo and Kingfisher counties were previously approved for the aid.

The governor's request for individual assistance for Dewey, Lincoln, Logan, McClain and Payne counties was denied.

Federal officials also approved public assistance for the 20 counties of Blaine, Caddo, Canadian, Cleveland, Comanche, Cotton, Custer, Dewey, Garvin, Grady, Kingfisher, Kiowa, Logan, McClain, Okfuskee, Okmulgee, Pottawatomie, Seminole, Stephens and Washita.

Public assistance helps cities, towns and counties repair damaged roads, bridges and other infrastructure.

Preliminary damage assessments identified more than $21 million in infrastructure damage in the affected counties.

Besides government payments, individuals and businesses in the disaster areas can apply for low-interest Small Business Administration loans.

For more information on flooding, including a flood hazard map, visit the Storm Zone section of kotv.com.