Two more Mississippi Delta counties are getting help from FEMA. MPB’s Alexandra Watts reports on what federal assistance is approved and what federal assistance might come next.
The Delta counties of Humphreys and Holmes are eligible to get public assistance from FEMA stemming from storms earlier this year.
“We were declared under public assistance, which a lot of people think is for the general public, but it is for any structures, roads, bridges or covers that are owned by the county," said Royce Steed, the emergency management director for Humphreys County.
FEMA's public assistance is for local and state governments, while homes, people and businesses are covered by individual assistance.
No Mississippi county has been approved for individual assistance. Chuck Perry lives in Holly Bluff, a town in Yazoo County extremely affected by the flooding.
“They said they are going to help, but they got to assess the damages first, and the water is just now getting down, so they can’t come in yet," Perry said. "We’re sitting here another two weeks before MEMA and FEMA can come in and see what kind of actual damage there really is, and I think it’s going to be a lot more than they anticipated.”
Royce Steed said there will be a meeting next week to determine what comes next for public assistance.
