The Federal Emergency Management Agency approves federal hurricane relief money for residents in 16 parishes devastated by Hurricane Laura.
On Monday, Governor John Bel Edwards announced nine parishes are approved for FEMA’s Individual Assistance, and on Tuesday, he announced seven more parishes are approved to receive relief money.
Those additional parishes include Rapides, Natchitoches, Sabine, Winn, Grant, Jackson and Lincoln.
“These parishes were affected when Hurricane Laura made its way up our state, keeping its hurricane-strength winds until it exited. These residents should begin applying for aid from FEMA now. More than 71,000 Louisianans have already applied for FEMA Individual Assistance following Hurricane Laura,” Gov. Edwards said in a statement. “We continue to make the case for the additional parishes to be approved because of the severity of this terrible storm.”
This makes 16 of the total 23 Louisiana parishes approved for residents to receive Individual Assistance money. FEMA assistance can include grant money for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans for uninsured property loss and other programs to help people and businesses recover from Hurricane Laura.
Hurricane Laura made landfall on Thursday August 27. By Friday August 28 Governor Edwards’ request for Major Disaster Declaration was approved.
People who sustained losses in Hurricane Laura in the designated parishes of Acadia, Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis, Ouachita, Vermilion, Vernon, Rapides, Natchitoches, Sabine, Winn, Grant, Jackson and Lincoln can begin applying for assistance today by registering online at http://www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week.