Gov. Bevin Requests Presidential Disaster Declaration for Eastern Kentucky Counties Impacted by Flooding

FRANKFORT, Kentucky, March 12 -- Gov. Matt Bevin, R-Kentucky, issued the following news:

Governor Matt Bevin sent a letter to President Donald Trump on Friday, March 9, requesting a Presidential Disaster Declaration for 22 eastern Kentucky counties that were impacted during a severe flooding event last month. The flooding caused over $18 million in damages to highways, bridges and local infrastructure.

"The requested Presidential Disaster Declaration will provide eastern Kentucky counties with federal assistance to repair local infrastructure damaged by the recent heavy rainfall," said Gov. Bevin. "These counties were negatively impacted by flooding, mudslides and landslides and are in need of assistance from all levels for local recovery efforts. I am grateful for the continued work of local officials and Kentucky Emergency Management (KYEM) to assist the impacted counties in gathering the documentation needed to submit the Presidential Declaration request."

The following counties are included in this request: Bell, Breathitt, Clay, Estill, Floyd, Harlan, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Magoffin, Martin, Metcalfe, Owsley, Perry, Pike, Powell, Whitley, and Wolfe.

"We are hopeful for federal assistance for our eastern Kentucky counties as they are working to repair damages to highway, bridge and roadway infrastructure from the mid-February flooding event," said KYEM director Michael Dossett. Our office continues to work with the eastern Kentucky counties impacted by this flooding event. We are also in the process of assisting many western Kentucky counties with damage assessments from a second severe flooding event that occurred only days following the initial disaster."

The Red Cross, Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD), and other groups continue assisting local residents with immediate needs.

The Commonwealth has been granted 19 federally declared disasters as a result of severe weather and flooding events since 2009. Kentucky is one of only 12 states in the country to qualify for enhanced assistance due to the frequency of disaster events.