Biden Approves Oklahoma Disaster Declaration - Federal Emergency Management Agency

President Joe Biden has declared a major disaster in the US state of Oklahoma following a wave of winter storms there from February 8 to February 20, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said in a press release on Thursday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th February, 2021) President Joe Biden has declared a major disaster in the US state of Oklahoma following a wave of winter storms there from February 8 to February 20, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said in a press release on Thursday.

"Today, President Joseph Biden declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Oklahoma and ordered federal assistance to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe winter storms from February 8 to February 20, 2021," the release said.

FEMA explained the president's action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in the 16 counties of Canadian, Carter, Cherokee, Comanche, Cotton, Hughes, Jefferson, Le Flore, McIntosh, Oklahoma, Okmulgee, Osage, Pittsburg, Stephens, Tulsa and Wagoner.

"Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster," the release said.

Federal funding is also available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency protective measures and hazard mitigation measures statewide, the release added.