RALEIGH, N.C. -- On Wednesday, Governor Roy Cooper requested a major disaster declaration to help defray some of the costs for communities impacted by Hurricane Isaias. Read the request here.
“Unfortunately, North Carolinians are tested frequently by extreme weather and hurricanes,” said Gov. Cooper. “This application for aid from our federal partners will help us rebuild stronger and smarter, so our communities can recover from the damage done by Hurricane Isaias.”
The governor is specifically requesting Public Assistance funding for 15 counties including: Beaufort, Bertie, Brunswick, Carteret, Chowan, Columbus, Craven, Hertford, Hyde, Jones, New Hanover, Onslow, Pamlico, Pender and Pitt, as well as Hazard Mitigation statewide.
If approved, the major disaster declaration would provide federal funds to help reimburse county and state governments and some non-profit organizations for some of the cost to respond to the storm and repair damaged infrastructure. It also would provide federal help pay for debris removal as well as search and rescue operations, hazardous material clean up assistance, meals, generators, fuel and more.
Hurricane Isaias made landfall August 3 near Ocean Isle Beach and caused major flooding in several communities. Four deaths were attributed to the storm that spurred several tornadoes, damaged water supply lines, roads and bridges and knocked out power to more than 375,000 homes and businesses.
Local and state emergency management officials began surveying and evaluating storm damages immediately after Isaias departed the state and finished their assessments in mid-September.