DISASTER

Preliminary damage estimates from the May 15 storms, which killed two people, are still being collected for Litchfield County.

Overall, 445 homes were destroyed or damaged, including 229 in Fairfield County, 207 in New Haven County and nine in Litchfield County.

Twenty-five homes were destroyed statewide, compared to 15 during Superstorm Sandy, according to the FEMA disaster aid application.

“If granted, this declaration would provide much needed help to the communities that were most affected,” Malloy said.

Numerous state parks were damaged, including in Hamden, Redding, Oxford and New Milford. In Brookfield, it took weeks to restore phone and cable service, Malloy noted in the request.

The request includes both FEMA public assistance and individual assistance. If the public assistance request were approved, affected towns and state agencies would receive federal reimbursement of 75

percent for eligible municipal and state costs.

If the individual assistance request were approved, homeowners may receive up to a maximum of $34,000 for costs related to eligible uninsured damage to their housing.

New Milford, Bridgeport and Waterbury qualified for individual assistance, Malloy noted.

Malloy said he will also be pursuing Small Business Administration disaster loans, which can provide low-interest loans to affected residents and businesses in the eligible counties.

The storms cut the worst path of destruction through upper Fairfield County, in particular the New Milford to Brookfield to Southbury region. They also reaped heavy damage in Hamden.

Winds were estimated at a Category 1 hurricane level in an area measuring 600 square miles and covering 19 towns. An area covering 30 square miles endured winds equal to a Category 2 hurricane.

More than 288 miles of Eversource power lines and cable lines were destroyed during the storm.