Blunt announces 27 additional Missouri counties as federal disaster areas

Individuals in 27 Missouri counties, including four in Southeast Missouri, are now eligible for federal help to deal with damage from the severe storms that raked the state two weeks ago.

The disaster declaration, announced Friday by Gov. Matt Blunt, means that grants and low-interest loans are available to pay for repairs that are not covered by insurance.

People dealing with the storm damage will also get an extension on the deadline to file income tax returns, Blunt said. And a recovery center has been opened in Perryville to bring emergency aid workers to the people with questions about federal help.

The four Southeast Missouri counties included in the declaration are Scott, Mississippi, New Madrid and Iron. Three other counties --Butler, Stoddard and Dunklin -- are awaiting word on applications for a declaration. Perry and Ste. Genevieve counties were included in a disaster declaration issued in the days immediately after the storms.

The State Emergency Management Agency opened a Disaster Recovery Center at 406 N. Spring St. in Perryville. The center offers a place for face-to-face conversations with recovery specialists, the agency said in a news release.

The center will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays.

People needing assistance can request help by calling FEMA at (800) 621-3362. Federal help is designed to bridge the gap between insurance payments and the actual costs of recovery from the damage, SEMA said in the release.

The tax deadline will be extended for one month, to May 15, Blunt announced. The new deadline applies to people living in a county that has been declared a disaster area, he said.

rkeller@semissourian.com

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