Gov. Sununu asks Trump for disaster declaration following July flooding

Aug. 8--CONCORD -- Gov. Chris Sununu has asked President Donald Trump to issue a major disaster declaration and provide federal emergency assistance for Grafton County and other parts of the state hit hard by severe rain and flooding on July 11 and 12.

The request includes a designation of the full Public Assistance Program for Grafton County and a statewide designation of the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

Sununu sent a letter to President Trump on Thursday, saying the flooding washed out roads and left enough debris behind that travel and emergency operations were restricted in the area. In the letter, Sununu writes that the majority of the rain fell in less than six hours, at rates as high as 4.75 inches per hour reported throughout the area.

Rescuers helped evacuate some people from their homes and a nearby campground.

Sununu said many of the communities affected, like Orange and Groton, are small towns that will need to cut back on repairs, delay scheduled road projects, increase taxes and take out loans in an attempt to recover funds spent in the aftermath of the storm.

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