Governor Mike Kehoe requested that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approve a major disaster declaration for Missouri to provide federal assistance to a total of 12 counties in response to tornadoes, straight-line winds, severe storms, large hail, and flooding that swept across the state April 23 through April 28.

Governor Kehoe is requesting FEMA Individual Assistance in Clay, Gentry, Greene, Holt, Randolph, and Saline counties after more than 140 households were verified as having sustained uninsured damage. Over half of the impacted individuals are renters. If approved, Individual Assistance would allow eligible residents to seek federal assistance for temporary housing, housing repairs, and replacement of damaged belongings, vehicles, and other qualifying expenses.

Governor Kehoe is also requesting FEMA Public Assistance for Carroll, Chariton, Greene, Holt, Howard, Monroe, Randolph, Ripley, Saline, and St. Francois counties. If approved, local governments and qualifying nonprofit agencies may seek federal assistance for reimbursement of emergency response and recovery costs, including repair and replacement costs for damaged buildings, bridges, roads, and other public infrastructure.

The joint preliminary damage assessments, conducted by the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), FEMA, and local officials estimated a total of more than $36 million in damage to public infrastructure and emergency response costs eligible for federal assistance. Missouri’s per-capita threshold for public assistance is $11.9 million, which is determined by FEMA based on 2020 census data.