Storm aid available to Jefferson County, 7 others

Homeowners and renters in eight counties affected by the severe storms and straight-line winds on April 12 can apply for disaster assistance through the Arkansas Individual Assistance program through July 15, the Arkansas Division of Emergency Management announced.

The eight counties are Cleveland, Drew, Grant, Hot Spring, Jefferson, Lincoln, Ouachita and Phillips, according to the division.

To be eligible for state disaster assistance funds for homeowners and renters in Cleveland, Grant, Jefferson and Lincoln counties, the division said applicants must first apply for assistance through the Small Business Administration and through the Arkansas Development and Finance Authority’s Disaster Home Loan Program.

Homeowners and renters in Drew, Hot Spring, Ouachita and Phillips counties are not required to apply through the Small Business Administration, the division said. But affected homeowners and renters are required to apply through the Disaster Home Loan Program, according to the division.

Assistance may include home repairs, cleaning, household debris removal and personal property repair.

Businesses, second homes, vacation homes, vehicles, sheds and outbuildings are ineligible for disaster assistance funds. The home must be the person’s primary residence.

The application period runs through July 15.

Affected residents can apply by calling (888) 683-2336 from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays. Applicants will need to provide the address of the damaged home, insurance information, Social Security number and detailed damage information. Residents also will be asked to provide a phone number and email address.

The assistance is because of the thunderstorms that swept through part of Arkansas beginning on April 12, Easter Sunday. There was at least one death and at least one injury, according to officials with the state and the National Weather Service.

In Jefferson County, on April 12, a very large tree fell and crushed a house. A 62-year-old man in the home was killed. In Hot Spring County, a tree fell on a home and trapped a woman inside. She was rescued and taken to a hospital.

Entergy Arkansas said the estimated 150,000 power outages in Arkansas were more than any other state in the region affected by the severe weather outbreak.

The majority of the outages were south of Interstate 40.

The storms produced damaging wind gusts from 60 mph to more than 80 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

The assistance is because of the thunderstorms that swept through part of Arkansas beginning on April 12, Easter Sunday.