Cole County along with several Mid-Missouri counties have been given the opportunity to receive federal disaster aid to help in recovery efforts following the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding May 15 through July 27.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Saturday funds will be available to state, tribal and eligible local governments as well as certain not-for-profit organizations in 68 Missouri counties.
Gov. Jay Nixon requested a federal disaster declaration for 70 Missouri counties July 21. Besides Cole, area counties included in the declaration are Maries, Miller, Moniteau, Morgan and Osage counties.
Across the state during the storms and flooding, at least 10 deaths were a direct result and more than half the state faced extensive response and rebuilding expense.
Nixon declared a state of emergency June 18, activating the State Emergency Operations Center and enabling state resources to assist local authorities. That state of emergency continues through Friday.
Federal aid programs available include covering 75 percent of life-saving and property-protecting emergency measures, of costs to repair or replace damaged public facilities including roads and utilities, of hazard mitigation projects to reduce long-term risks from natural disasters.
Application briefings will be scheduled by recovery officials in affected areas.
Cole County met the minimum damage costs of $286,000 to qualify for aid.
By early July, Cole County's affects from the major rise of the Moreau River due to heavy rains included a road slide at Lower Bottom Road, buckled pavement at the intersection of Millbrook Road and Route D, collapsed low-water crossing on North Branch Road, and a washed out shoulder on Mount Carmel Road.
Cole County Public Works Director Larry Benz showed the county's effects to state and federal emergency management agency officials July 17.
Morgan County showed its flood damage to the officials about the same time, estimated at $380,000, according to the Lake Today, though its minimum was set at only $73,000.
Miller County's estimated damages were $100,000 with a threshold requirement of about $85,000.
Camden County was not included in the counties qualifying for federal emergency aid. However, the county expected its costs to be about the minimum requirement of $156,647.
The counties included in the declaration are: Adair, Andrew, Atchison, Audrain, Barry, Bates, Benton, Buchanan, Caldwell, Chariton, Christian, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Cole, Crawford, Dade, Dallas, Daviess, DeKalb, Douglas, Gentry, Harrison, Henry, Hickory, Holt, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Laclede, Lafayette, Lewis, Lincoln, Linn, Livingston, McDonald, Macon, Maries, Marion, Miller, Moniteau, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Osage, Ozark, Perry, Pettis, Pike, Platte, Polk, Putnam, Ralls, Ray, Ste. Genevieve, Saline, Schuyler, Scotland, Shannon, Shelby, Stone, Sullivan, Taney, Texas, Washington, Webster, Worth and Wright.
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