President Trump approves disaster declaration in SC due to April tornadoes
President Donald Trump has approved a disaster declaration in South Carolina as a result of severe storms and tornadoes that hit the state in April, clearing the way for residents to receive federal relief funds.
The declaration, requested by Gov. Henry McMaster, covers residents of Aiken, Colleton, Hampton, Marlboro, Oconee, Orangeburg and Pickens counties who suffered storm damage on April 12 or 13.
According to WIS the National Weather Service recorded 23 tornadoes touching down across the state on April 13, the biggest outbreak in South Carolina since 1984. At least six reached winds of 160 miles per hour, and one in Hampton County was estimated to have reached 175 mile per hour winds, according to the Island-Packet.
In Oconee County, estimates of property damaged reached hundreds of millions of dollars, reported WPSA.
At least nine people were killed by the storms, according to reports, and McMaster declared a state of emergency on April 15 to provide aid. The South Carolina Emergency Management Division reported massive power outages and road blockages at the time.
Trump’s disaster declaration allows affected residents to apply for FEMA aid for storm-related costs not covered by insurance. Residents can do so in these ways:
▪ Online by logging onto DisasterAssistance.gov.
▪ Online by downloading the FEMA app, available for Apple and Android mobile devices. To download the app, visit: fema.gov/mobile-app or your phone’s app store..
▪ Call 800-621-3362. Residents who are Deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 800-462-7585. Language translators also are available. Toll-free numbers are open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
In addition the declaration will allow federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in Barnwell, Colleton, Georgetown, Hampton, Oconee, Orangeburg and Pickens counties.
South Carolina is already under a disaster declaration approved by Trump for the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic; that declaration was issued March 27. Measures taken to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus have complicated recovery efforts for the severe weather, and families have been displaced during at an already uncertain time.
