FEMA Expands Funding to 3 More Flood-Ravaged W. Va. Counties, Bringing Total to 8

Eight counties are now eligible for federal assistance, with two more pending.

ByABC News
June 29, 2016, 3:42 AM

— -- Five additional West Virginia counties are now eligible for federal funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) following devastating flooding in the state, Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin announced Monday.

Fayette, Clay, Roane, Summers and Monroe counties now join Greenbrier, Kanawha, and Nicholas counties, as those eligible funding, following preliminary damage assessments (PDAs) conducted by FEMA in those counties.

And Gov. Tomblin has also requested that Webster and Pocahontas counties be declared disaster areas, so its may be be eligible for federal assistance, but that request is pending.

"To ensure all those affected by these devastating floods have access to the assistance they need to rebuild their homes, businesses and communities, I have expanded my request for federal aid to include seven additional counties," Gov. Tomblin said Tuesday.

He continued, "I appreciate the continued support of our congressional delegation as we work with federal partners to provide critical resources to West Virginians in need as quickly as possible."

As ABC News previously reported, FEMA had received over 1,000 applications from individuals and households seeking assistance, as of Monday. With the addition of these five counties, the number of applications is expected to rise significantly.

Federal assistance includes individual assistance, Damage-Frequency Assessment(DFA), Emergency Protective Measures and debris removal.

The declaration by President Obama on June 25 that West Virginia is a major disaster area, released federal funding for individuals and communities affected by the severe storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides that began on June 22, that left 23 dead.