Hurricane Floyd - One Month Later
Release Date: October 15, 1999
Release Number: 1292-67
» More Information on North Carolina Hurricane Floyd & Irene
RALEIGH, N.C. -- As recovery operations for Hurricane Floyd reached the one-month milestone, figures released by federal and state officials reveal the scope and scale of devastation of the historic flood.
Since the presidential disaster declaration on September 16th, 61,840 North Carolinians have registered for assistance by calling the Federal Management Agency's (FEMA) toll-free application hotline. Total approved federal funding to assist the state exceeds $135 million with the largest components including:
- $41.8 million approved for emergency housing and grants to individuals and families
- $65.5 million approved for 1,394 low-interest Small Business Administration loans
- $28 million obligated to pay for 66 mission assignments in the disaster area conducted by other federal agencies.
Of the $35 million in direct assistance, 17,750 registrants for emergency disaster housing have been approved for $27.6 million and 4,866 checks totaling $14.2 million in grants to individual and families to meet serious needs not covered by insurance or charitable organizations.
Almost 30,000 people have visited the 22 disaster recovery centers operating in the flooded counties. Inspectors have completed 33,020 disaster housing reviews or almost 75% of the total of 45,627 applications for disaster housing aid.
Residents of the declared counties continue to register for assistance over FEMA's toll-free application hotline, 1-800-462-9029 (1-800-462-7585 for the speech or hearing impaired), which is open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. until further notice.
Other numbers of interest:
- FEMA and the state have over 80 community relations workers in the field assisting applicants directly.
- Crisis counseling has been provided to 439 families.
- The state reports that 329 travel trailers are now occupied as temporary housing at sites in Edgecombe, Lenoir and Pitt counties. The state has ordered an initial total of 1,063 units.
- Two voluntary buyout projects related to Hurricane Floyd have already been approved. The initial project will buy out 116 parcels for $4.8 million.
- State and federal hazard mitigation teams have visited 15 severely damaged communities to help them develop applications for voluntary buyouts under FEMA's hazard mitigation grant program. In the next two weeks, visits are scheduled for an additional 60 communities.
- FEMA has approved $6.3 million for public assistance reimbursements including debris removal and emergency protective services, such as police and emergency workers overtime.
Last Modified: Thursday, 11-Dec-2003 14:10:35