Federal assistance for floods tops $200M in Tennessee

More than $200 million in federal funds has now been allocated to flood victims in the 45 Tennessee counties that were declared disaster areas after the May 1-2 floods.

In the six weeks after the state’s historic flood, nearly 62,000 people have registered for financial assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Of the $200 million, $117.8 million has gone to housing assistance, with $17.7 million going toward other needs, including personal property lost or damaged during the storms.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Small Business Administration has approved $65.1 million in low-interest disaster loans for flood victims in Tennessee.

Individuals have until July 6 to apply for federal assistance. Go to www.fema.gov for details.

Following last month’s flood, FEMA officials have visited more than 26,000 homes, businesses and other structures. Another 15,000 people visited one of the 64 disaster recovery centers established throughout the region. More than 8,000 residents have received counseling from FEMA.