The Federal Emergency Management Agency approved a Major Disaster Declaration for areas of Nebraska for severe storms and straight line winds on May 12th.
The declaration will provide public assistance to 20 counties and hazard mitigation statewide.
The request for assistance was made by Governor Pete Ricketts on July 6th.
Assistance for individuals and households was not requested.
Assistance for emergency work and repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities include Antelope, Boone, Burt, Cedar, Cuming, Custer, Dixon, Garfield, Greeley, Holt, Knox, Logan, Pierce, Polk, Sherman, Thurston, Valley, Wayne, Wheeler, and York Counties.
The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program is for assistance for actions taken to prevent or reduce long-term risk to life and property from natural disasters. All areas of the state are eligible for assistance under that grant program.
Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.
Storms on May 12th caused a 400 mile long path of destruction. There were seven tornados in the system. Wind gusts reached 107 miles an hour.