Ohio Governor Mike DeWine is asking President Donald Trump to issue a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration following severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds and tornadoes that impacted Ohio in August.
The request covers 23 counties, including Champaign, Clark, Logan, Madison and Shelby counties, along with Adams, Athens, Brown, Butler, Clermont, Darke, Fairfield, Franklin, Greene, Hamilton, Highland, Licking, Morgan, Muskingum, Perry, Preble, Richland and Washington counties.
Preliminary damage assessments conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Small Business Administration found at least 50 homes and businesses destroyed, 806 with major damage and 475 with minor damage.
The storms occurred between August 10 and August 23, bringing multiple rounds of heavy rain and severe weather across the state. Officials confirmed 17 tornadoes, while at least four people were injured, two people died and authorities conducted approximately 59 water rescues.
DeWine is asking FEMA to activate its Individual Assistance Grant Program, which could provide help with temporary housing and home repairs, rental assistance, replacement of personal property, crisis counseling, disaster unemployment assistance and disaster legal services.
The request also seeks SBA assistance through low-interest loans for certain uninsured property losses, as well as FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to help communities reduce future disaster damage.
“Federal assistance will be critical in helping the Ohioans impacted by last month’s severe weather recover and move forward with their lives,” DeWine said, adding that the damage has exceeded the ability of state and local governments and disaster relief organizations to provide comprehensive support.
Ohio Emergency Management Agency Executive Director Sima Merick said federal assistance would support state and local recovery efforts and help homeowners, renters and businesses affected by the storms.
Several state agencies assisted during the response, including Ohio EMA, the Ohio Department of Transportation, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio Homeland Security, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ohio EPA, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Ohio National Guard, Ohio Department of Health and Ohio Department of Administrative Services.
Those agencies helped with emergency communications, debris removal, flooding and infrastructure assessments, water distribution, rescue operations, traffic control, sheltering and environmental and public health concerns.
The disaster declaration request now goes to the president for consideration.
