FEMA Deputy Administrator Erik A. Hooks will travel to North Georgia on Wednesday to survey the damage caused by severe storms and tornadoes that hammered the state last week, the agency announced Tuesday.
Hooks is expected to meet with local and state officials to discuss recovery efforts and make stops in some of the most heavily impacted communities. He previously spoke with officials in tornado-impacted Selma, Alabama, on Tuesday.
“The Deputy Administrator will be making stops in Troup and Spalding counties, meeting with County Emergency Management directors to discuss ongoing response and recovery efforts, as well as identify any unmet needs,” FEMA officials said in a statement. “While there, he will also be visiting heavily impacted communities to survey damage from the storms.”
On Monday, President Joe Biden approved a federal disaster declaration in Georgia, which freed up funding for residents affected by the storms in Butts, Henry, Jasper, Meriwether, Newton, Spalding and Troup counties.
In Spalding County, at least 2,100 homes were damaged and 100 were completely destroyed by the devastating storms, the sheriff’s office said Tuesday. There was an estimated $17 million in damage across the county, according to authorities.
Credit: John Spink / John.Spink@ajc.com
Credit: John Spink / John.Spink@ajc.com
Meanwhile, the National Weather Service said at least 30 homes had significant damage in Troup County after an EF2 tornado tore across the Baldwin Park community. The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency posted photos of some of the damage from across the county on Facebook.
After visiting with impacted communities, Hooks will hold a meeting with local leaders and the Spalding Emergency Management Agency to discuss the disaster declaration. He will also share information about federal assistance available to those affected, according to FEMA.
The federal assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, loans to cover uninsured property, and certain programs to help individuals and businesses recover, the agency said.
About the Author
