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Posted: Jun 07, 2019 12:24 PMUpdated: Jun 07, 2019 12:58 PM

Officials Continue to Monitor Storm Damages

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Garrett Giles

City, State and National Government officials alike have been looking extensively at damages caused by severe weather in the Midwest.

U.S. Senator for Oklahoma James Lankford has been able to look at the damages in his own State. He said three Oklahoma counties have received a Major Disaster Declaration.

For those counties, individuals can start connecting with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Mobile FEMA offices have been set up in Tulsa and Muskogee Counties. Sen. Lankford said one is in the works in Wagoner County.

"FEMA assistance is not insurance," Sen. Lankford said, "It's not a replacement for everything. It's Stopgap Funding as you're in transistion and clean-up mode. The only thing its going to help with replacement is flood insurance on those folks who have taken out flood insurance and have seen damage to their homes."

More work is being done to add more counties to the Major Disaster Declaration. The Senator in recent weeks voted for the Supplemental Disaster Funding Bill when it passed to the Senate.

This is provided for the Midwestern States for their clean-up. Sen. Lankford said it is not designed to help individuals. He said it will help States with overtime for first responders, for the rebuilding of roads, for the replacement of equipment and for additional support as needed.

Additional opportunities are avaiable for buyouts for those States that suffered repetitive loses. Sen. Lankford said they want to get to a place where they will not have to worry about this in the future.

Sen. Lankford said we’re watching neighbors helping neighbors at this point. He encourages everyone to continue to lend a hand.

City officials in Tulsa say approximately 600 homes and businesses have been inundated in recent weeks because of the historic flooding along the swollen Arkansas River.

Oklahoma officials say six people have died and 118 have been injured because of severe weather in the last month.


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