Extra disaster relief funding available for Minnesota flooding areas
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved extra assistance for Minnesotans affected by severe storms and flooding across 19 counties earlier this summer.
Who’s affected?
Flooding that occurred from June 16 to July 4 left a large swath of Minnesota underwater and dealing with the aftermath.
The additional federal assistance will be available to aid in the recovery from the severe storms.
Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the following counties will be able to apply for extra help: Blue Earth, Cook, Cottonwood, Faribault, Freeborn, Goodhue, Itasca, Jackson, Lake, Le Sueur, Mower, Nicollet, Nobles, Rice, Rock, St. Louis, Steele, Waseca and Watonwan.
Assistance available
The additional resources will include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-interest loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help Minnesotans recover.
Those who believe they are eligible can apply here.
"The recent flooding inflicted serious damage across our state, and we must continue working together to recover," said Sen. Amy Klobuchar during a press conference on Tuesday. "FEMA continues to be an active partner in the recovery effort so that our state can receive critical federal disaster relief funds. This latest round of assistance will ensure individual Minnesotans are supported as they rebuild."
Aerial video of flooding in Waterville, Minn. on June 23, 2024. (FOX 9)
Assessments ongoing
The full extent of damage is still not known in some Minnesota counties.
In St. Louis County, assessors have visited 716 private properties where damage has been reported, and inspected 1,973 structures during the process.
Of the properties inspected, 374 structures on 332 separate parcels sustained a level of damage that qualified for property tax relief.
The estimated amount of structure damage to private property owners totals $11.8 million to date.