FEMA to Open Taney County, Missouri Center

Federal Emergency Management Administration is opening a Disaster Recovery Center in Hollister, Mo.

The Taney County center can offer assistance to residents recovering from recent severe weather, including floods and tornadoes. Staff can help with individual assistance, business assistance and how to rebuild.

The Springfield News-Leader reports that the center opened.

Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $30,200 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property not covered by insurance. FEMA’s grant program is to help people find a secure, safe and functional place to live.

SBA low-interest disaster assistance loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate.

The federal government has declared eight more Missouri counties eligible for disaster assistance because of the storms, floods and tornadoes that began hitting the state April 19.

The designation allows individuals and households to apply for help with recovery and other storm-related expenses.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency says Cape Girardeau, Howell, McDonald, Pulaski, Ripley, Scott, Stoddard and Stone counties were added to the list May 20. All eight are in southern Missouri.

Five other counties — Butler, Mississippi, New Madrid, St. Louis and Taney — were designated earlier for individual assistance.

Missouri has been hit since mid-April by violent storms, widespread flooding and tornadoes, including one that damaged more than 700 homes in the St. Louis area.