Ohio Governor Requests Federal Aid After Tornadoes In 10 Counties

Governor Mike DeWine has asked for federal aid to be directed to 10 Ohio counties devastated by last month's tornadoes. The governor said recovery could take years for the damaged areas.

In a letter sent to President Donald Trump on Tuesday, DeWine asked for the government to declare an emergency in Ohio and send financial assistance. He said effective response is beyond Ohio's capabilities.

“These storms resulted in a disaster of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capability of the State of Ohio and affected local governments,” wrote DeWine. “Federal assistance is necessary to supplement the efforts and available resources of the state, local governments, disaster relief organizations, and compensation by insurance for disaster-related losses.”

On May 27 and May 28, 21 tornadoes tore through portions of southern Ohio, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without power and halting basic services, like water treatment. During the storms, tornadoes touched down in Auglaize, Darke, Greene, Hocking, Mercer, Miami, Montgomery, Muskingum, Perry, and Pickaway counties.

A preliminary damage assessment identified 942 homes and buildings that were either destroyed or significantly damaged, and 837 other buildings that were slightly affected or suffered minor damage. The assessment was conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Small Business Administration and Ohio Emergency Management Agency.

“The widespread destruction of homes, apartments, and businesses, particularly in the Dayton urban areas, is tragic and will require a recovery process that could stretch over a number of years,” said DeWine. “Many of the areas affected have a high percentage of low-income families that did not have insurance. These survivors may not have the means to rebuild and/or relocate without additional support.”

DeWine specifically requested support from the following federal programs:

• Individual Assistance Program
• Crisis Counseling Assistance Program
• Disaster Unemployment Assistance Program
• Disaster Case Management Program
• Disaster Legal Services Program
• Hazard Mitigation Grant Program