Nearly $100 Million Headed to Kentucky for Tornado Recovery
I don't imagine very many of us will ever forget where we were on the evening of December 10th, 2021. For me, it's easy. I was sitting right here at the station airing wall-to-wall severe weather coverage from the Eyewitness News-WEHT Weather Authority team.
THE DECEMBER 10TH WESTERN KENTUCKY TORNADO OUTBREAK
As you likely recall, there were multiple long-track tornadoes that night. The northernmost of those twisters--the one that entered Kentucky at Fulton County was on the ground for more than 165 miles according to the National Weather Service:
Preliminary findings indicate high end EF4 damage in western Kentucky. While the tornado was on the ground for 128 miles within WFO Paducah's forecast area, the total path length was 165.7 miles including the damage into Breckinridge County, KY within WFO Louisville's coverage area and the starting point in Obion County, TN within WFO Memphis's coverage area.
The second long-track twister began in northwest Tennessee, entered Kentucky in Christian County and lasted more than 122 miles.
NEARLY $100 MILLION IN FEMA FEDERAL ASSISTANCE APPROVED
Well now, we've received some great news from Kentucky Emergency Management and FEMA. More than $95.7 million dollars has been approved for tornado recovery efforts in multiple Kentucky counties.
Greenlit by FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration, these designated funds will be broken down in this way:
More than $15.8 million was approved for individuals and households. That includes $11.5 million for housing assistance and $4.4 million for "other needs" assistance. This will help replace essential household items and other needs.
FEMA INDIVIDUALS AND HOUSEHOLDS PROGRAM
These sixteen counties qualify under FEMA's Individuals and Households Program:
Barren, Caldwell, Christian, Fulton, Graves, Hart, Hickman, Hopkins, Logan, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Taylor, and Warren counties.
Through the U.S. Small Business Administration, 647 disaster loans totally nearly $59.4 million were approved for homeowners, renters, and businesses. That's $50.2 million for home loans and $9.2 million for business loans.
FEMA PUBLIC ASSISTANCE
There are 23 Kentucky counties that have been deemed eligible for FEMA Public Assistance. They are Barren, Breckinridge, Bullitt, Caldwell, Christian, Fulton, Graves, Grayson, Hart, Hickman, Hopkins, Logan, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, Meade, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Shelby, Spencer, Taylor, Todd, and Warren.
This program helps communities with repair, rebuilding, and emergency work expenses. This includes reimbursements for debris removal, damaged roads and infrastructure.
The folks in western Kentucky have been working hard these last nine months to get back to some semblance of normalcy. Needless to say, this enormous sum of federal assistance money will aid in that endeavor immeasurably.
If you'd like more information about Kentucky tornado recovery, visit FEMA.gov/disaster/4630.