A tree down in Cedar Rapids.
President Trump has approved federal disaster aid through FEMA’s individual assistance program for homeowners, renters and businesses in Linn County.
Governor Reynolds made the announcement early this evening. The money may be used to replace personal property that was lost in last week’s storm as well as cover housing and medical expenses.
“Some of the things that aren’t covered by insurance they now will be able to file that through the individual assistance (program),” Reynolds said earlier today.
Last Sunday, Reynolds submitted a request for individual assistance to residents of 26 other counties as well. A news release issued by the governor’s office tonight indicated disaster assessments for those other counties are ongoing.
At 10 tonight, power had not been restored to about 15,000 Alliant Energy customers in Linn County and 1,200 customers in Marshall County. Nearly 600 other customers in Tama and Benton Counties did not have power.
Governor Reynolds said during a news conference late this morning that state officials are helping create maps of the hardest hit neighborhoods in the Cedar Rapids metro to chart the final push to safely clear debris and reach downed power lines.
“In Cedar Rapids people on the ground that are going through the neighborhoods to identify which homes are just destroyed and so then we can get that information back to the Alliant team and help to really understand the numbers that are left,” she said, “and what we need to do to get them back on line.”
Utility officials say in some cases, restoring power to critically damaged structures can spark fires.
The following information was released by the governor’s office this evening.
Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in the designated area can begin applying for assistance by calling 1-800-621-3362 or 1-800-462-7585 for TTY users. Users of 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS) may call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. CST, seven days a week, until further notice. Another option is registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov
Additional counties may be approved for the Individual Assistance Program as FEMA continues to review damage
Linn County residents seeking federal assistance to cover storm losses may call 1-800-621-3362 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. CST, seven days a week, until further notice.
The governor had also requested Individual Assistance funding for Audubon, Benton, Boone, Cass, Cedar, Clarke, Clinton, Dallas, Greene, Grundy, Guthrie, Hardin, Iowa, Jackson, Jasper, Johnson, Jones, Linn, Madison, Marshall, Muscatine, Polk, Poweshiek, Scott, Story, Tama, and Washington Counties.