Missouri gets disaster declaration for severe storms, floods

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon says President Barack Obama has approved a request for a major disaster declaration after repeated flash flooding and severe storms from May 15 to July 27.

Nixon announced the disaster declaration in a news release Friday.

Sixty-eight counties, including Perry County, are part of the declaration. The governor said that's the most for any disaster in Missouri since the Great Flood of 1993.

The declaration means counties can seek federal assistance for response and recovery associated with the flooding and severe storms.

The counties included in the declaration are: Adair, Andrew, Atchison, Audrain, Barry, Bates, Benton, Buchanan, Caldwell, Chariton, Christian, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Cole, Crawford, Dade, Dallas, Daviess, DeKalb, Douglas, Gentry, Harrison, Henry, Hickory, Holt, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Laclede, Lafayette, Lewis, Lincoln, Linn, Livingston, McDonald, Macon, Maries, Marion, Miller, Moniteau, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Osage, Ozark, Perry, Pettis, Pike, Platte, Polk, Putnam, Ralls, Ray, Ste. Genevieve, Saline, Schuyler, Scotland, Shannon, Shelby, Stone, Sullivan, Taney, Texas, Washington, Webster, Worth and Wright.