OHIO — Gov. Mike DeWine today requested a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration from President Donald Trump following severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds and tornadoes that struck Ohio in August.
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The disaster declaration request covers 23 counties, including Adams, Athens, Brown, Butler, Champaign, Clark, Clermont, Darke, Fairfield, Franklin, Greene, Hamilton, Highland, Licking, Logan, Madison, Morgan, Muskingum, Perry, Preble, Richland, Shelby and Washington.
Preliminary damage assessments conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Small Business Administration revealed that at least 50 homes and businesses were destroyed across the affected counties.
The severe weather events occurred between Aug. 10 and Aug. 23, producing flash flooding and 17 confirmed tornadoes.
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The storms resulted in two deaths, four injuries and approximately 59 water rescues conducted by emergency responders.
Gov. DeWine requested that Trump activate FEMA’s Individual Assistance Grant Program.
The program provides grants for temporary housing, home repairs, rental assistance, personal property replacement, crisis counseling, disaster unemployment assistance and disaster legal services.
DeWine also requested Small Business Administration low-interest loans for uninsured property losses and the activation of FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to help reduce future disaster risks.
In his letter to the White House, DeWine emphasized that the magnitude of the severe weather exceeded local resources.
“Federal assistance will be critical in helping the Ohioans impacted by last month’s severe weather recover and move forward with their lives,” DeWine said. “These storms resulted in a disaster of such severity and magnitude that it exceeds the capabilities of the State of Ohio, local governments and disaster relief organizations to provide comprehensive support.”
State emergency response officials noted that federal resources will play a role in long-term relief efforts.
