LITTLE ROCK – Governor Mike Beebe has authorized $2,000,000 from the Governor's Disaster Fund to provide limited individual assistance for flood and storm victims in 12 Arkansas counties. Arkansans with uninsured damage to their primary residences may be eligible for State aid in Columbia, Franklin, Grant, Johnson, Lincoln, Logan, Lonoke, Ouachita, Pulaski, Scott, Union and White Counties.
"While we will request a Presidential Disaster Declaration for flooding damage to infrastructure in Arkansas, we don’t believe we will meet the federal requirements for individual assistance," Beebe said. "The State can provide limited funds to help uninsured homeowners in the counties hardest hit start toward recovery."
Eligibility for the State assistance will be based on FEMA disaster damage guidelines. Beginning Thursday morning, victims whose residences have been rendered temporarily or permanently uninhabitable due to the flooding and severe storms on October 29 and 30 can contact the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management at 1-888-683-2336. Applications for uninsured damage grants and temporary housing assistance will be accepted for two weeks.
A total of 51 Arkansas counties have been granted State disaster status due to severe weather in October.