More than $6 million in disaster assistance has been sent to Mississippians who suffered damage as a result of Hurricane Ivan, the state’s emergency response agency reported.
Robert Latham, director of the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), said more than $4.9 million of that total was given in Federal Emergency Management Agency grants to help disaster-affected homeowners and renters with temporary housing and emergency disaster repairs to their homes.
The eye of Ivan came ashore east of the Mississippi Gulf Coast on Sept. 16, unloading its highest winds, rain and storm surge on neighboring Alabama and the Florida Panhandle. However, wind and rain caused damage to portions of the Mississippi coast and inland over central and eastern areas of the state.
Residents who applied to FEMA for help with eligible disaster needs, such as replacing personal property, medical expenses, vehicle costs and certain other expenses have received more than $1.8 million in checks, Latham said.
Gary Shelton, assistant director of emergency services for the Central Mississippi chapter of the American Red Cross, said although $6 million is a start to finance disaster efforts, there were other costs as well.
“It was expensive financially, but the real cost was in human emotion,” he said. “Helping those people keep it together mentally and spiritually. We wound up two or three weeks later with families basically stuck here who weren’t allowed back to their home area.”
The Small Business Administration has received more than 600 applications for low-interest loans to homeowners, renters, landlords, businesses and nonprofit organizations, officials said. So far, 77 loans have been approved for a total of $2,494,400.
The SBA can provide the needed assistance for help to pay for the repair or replacement of uninsured or underinsured disaster losses.
More than 10,000 Mississippi residents applied for federal aid through FEMA’s toll-free registration line.
Storm victims who live within the 10 declared counties of Clarke, George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Lauderdale, Perry, Stone and Wayne have until Nov. 15 to register for assistance.
MEMA said counties and cities within Mississippi have estimated more than $16 million in public damages that include such items as public infrastructure, debris removal and emergency protective measures.
Those estimates do not include claims made to private insurance companies, but only estimated costs associated with recovery for counties, cities and private nonprofit organizations within the declared counties.
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