FEMA Approves Public Assistance for Oklahoma Storms

Gov. Mary Fallin says the Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved public assistance for 16 counties hit by May storms that brought tornadoes and flooding to Oklahoma.

Fallin said FEMA on Friday approved the request that she submitted Wednesday.

Approval means federal funding is available to help municipalities, counties, schools and rural electric cooperatives pay for infrastructure repairs, debris removal and costs associated with responding to the tornadoes, straight-line winds, flooding and severe storms that occurred between May 18 and June 2.

Counties included in the request are Atoka, Canadian, Coal, Hughes, Latimer, Nowata, Okfuskee, Okmulgee, Pittsburg, Pushmataha and Seminole. Additional aid was also granted for Cleveland, Lincoln, McClain, Oklahoma and Pottawatomie counties.

The storms caused an estimated $40 million in uninsured infrastructure losses, and debris removal and response costs.