LINCOLN — Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen is requesting that President Donald Trump issue a major disaster declaration in the wake of severe storms that hit central Nebraska in mid-May.
Pillen’s request follows tornadoes, extreme straight-line winds and flash flooding May 15-18 across eight counties. If approved, federal funding would assist in covering costs from damage to public infrastructure. Damage estimates exceed $4.9 million.
The requested declaration is for Buffalo, Fillmore, Gage, Howard, Jefferson, Nemaha, Thayer and Thurston counties. There were downed power poles and lines and reported damage to schools, buildings and roadways, and emergency shelters were necessary in some areas where residents were displaced, a Pillen news release states.
Heartland United Way announced this week that nearly $9,000 has been raised through the organization’s “United After the Storm Fund” to support families recovering from an EF-3 tornado that tore through rural St. Libory on May 17. The nonprofit said the tornado destroyed homes and left several Howard County families needing to rebuild.
In addition to the latest disaster declaration request, Pillen has requested access to the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. If approved, Nebraska could apply for grants to fund rebuilding to reduce or mitigate future disaster losses.
Pillen, in May, also requested a federal disaster declaration for wildfires that impacted Arthur, Garden, Grant, Lincoln and Morrill counties. Preliminary damage estimates at the time of that request had reached nearly $9.7 million.
