Four counties to get disaster assistance

Barry, Dade, Lawrence and Taney counties have been declared federal disaster areas by President Bush because of flood damage to public facilities in mid-May.

The disaster declaration is an expansion of a declaration the president issued May 6 after severe storms and tornadoes swept though 20 southern Missouri counties in late April. Ozark and Douglas counties were included in the initial disaster declaration. They also will be eligible for public assistance to repair damaged roads and public facilities for the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Seventh-district Congressman Roy Blunt said, "The help from FEMA will be essential in restoring washed out roads, bridges and culverts in many counties that don't have the resources to withstand the losses. Learning that a county is part of a disaster declaration and eligible for help in restoring public facilities allow county leaders to begin the planning and budgeting process immediately."

FEMA typically reimburses 75 percent of the costs of replacing public facilities. In some places, four and five inches of rain fell in a few hours, turning small streams into torrents that washed away roads and bridges.