Wayne declared disaster, relief efforts are underway
By From staff reports
Published in News on October 12, 2016 9:57 AM
Full Size
News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Shannon Stone takes a video with her phone as she drives through water running across the road just north of Bennetts Bridge on N.C. 111 South Tuesday morning.
Full Size
News-Argus/SETH COMBS
Robin Freeman holds her 2-month-old great-granddaughter in the Carver Heights Elementary gym that has been converted to a shelter for those displaced by floodwaters on Tuesday afternoon. Freeman expressed shock and bewilderment with regard to the level of flooding that is taking place and was unclear as to how long she and her family would be displaced.
RALEIGH -- Wayne, Wilson, Johnston and Bertie counties will be able to apply for federal assistance to repair or rebuild homes damaged by the massive flooding caused by Hurricane Matthew.
Homeowners and renters in those counties are now able to apply for federal assistance to repair or rebuild damaged homes.
They joined the 10 that were approved earlier in the week: Beaufort, Bladen, Columbus, Cumberland, Edgecombe, Hoke, Lenoir, Nash, Pitt and Robeson counties.
In addition, all the state's 100 counties will be eligible for funding to help mitigate future storm damage.
Wilson County will also receive federal aid to help cover the costs for emergency response to the storm, as well as debris removal.
With the addition of Wilson, 32 counties, are now approved for federal funding to help augment the costs of responding to the storm.
The declaration also helps to pay for storm debris removal. Counties approved in the original disaster declaration include: Beaufort, Bladen, Brunswick, Camden, Carteret, Chowan, Columbus, Craven, Cumberland, Currituck, Dare, Duplin, Edgecombe, Greene, Hoke, Hyde, Johnston, Lenoir, Nash, New Hanover, Onslow, Pamlico, Pasquotank, Pender, Perquimans, Pitt, Robeson, Tyrrell and Washington counties.
Local and state emergency management officials are conducting preliminary damage assessments in other storm-impacted counties in order to gather the necessary documentation to apply for additional federal assistance. Meanwhile, rescue crews continue to search for survivors, and utility crews work to restore power, clear debris and open roadways.
For more information, go to ReadyNC.org.