Two More Puerto Rico Municipalities Designated For Federal Aid
Release Date: December 20, 2003
Release Number: 1501-25
» More Information on Puerto Rico Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- The head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on Friday, December 19, 2003 designated the municipalities of Aibonito and Naranjito in Puerto Rico eligible for federal disaster aid. Under this declaration, homeowners, renters and businesses can request disaster assistance to recover from the effects of severe storms, floods, mudslides and landslides that occurred November 10-23, 2003.
Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response, said the assistance was approved based on the results of further Federal and Commonwealth damage assessments. Initially, nine municipalities were designated for aid under the major disaster declaration issued by President Bush on November 21 to provide aid to the affected residents and business owners. On November 24 and December 2 ten additional eligible municipalities were declared.
The municipalities previously designated for assistance are Arroyo, Cabo Rojo, Canóvanas, Fajardo, Guánica, Guayama, Juana Diaz, Lajas, Loiza, Luquillo, Maunabo, Naguabo, Patillas, Rio Grande, Salinas, Santa Isabel, Toa Baja, Yabucoa and Yauco.
The assistance can include grants to help pay for temporary housing, home repairs and other serious disaster-related expenses. Low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration also will be available to cover residential and business losses not fully compensated by insurance.
Affected individuals in the newly designated municipalities can apply for assistance by calling the FEMA toll free registration number, 1-800-621-3362 (TTY: 1-800-462-7585 for hearing or speech impaired individuals). This line is available Monday through Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., until further notice.
To date, a total of 39,693 people have applied for federal aid. FEMA has approved $37,074,950 million in emergency assistance to affected individuals and families.
On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA's continuing mission within the new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.
Last Modified: Monday, 22-Dec-2003 08:55:21