JACKSON — Federal Emergency Management Agency has been asked to approve a major disaster declaration for multiple Mississippi counties impacted by severe winter storms that swept across the state from Jan. 23 to Jan. 27, state officials said.
The request includes individual assistance for residents, disaster unemployment assistance, and public assistance for local governments, including funding for debris removal, officials said.
State leaders said Mississippi has been working with FEMA, state agencies and local governments to assess damage and ensure the request meets federal thresholds.
Officials said the declaration request is intended to support recovery efforts following what they described as a historic winter weather event. They also said the request could be amended to add more counties as additional damage is discovered, reported and validated for possible individual or public assistance.