PEARL, Miss. – At the request of Governor Phil Bryant, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has amended a recent disaster declaration for severe storms and flooding that began March 9, 2016. Survivors in George and Pearl River counties can now register with FEMA for disaster assistance through the Individual Assistance program.

Survivors who sustained disaster-related losses in the designated counties can begin applying for assistance by calling FEMA’s helpline at 800-621-3362, which is video relay service accessible. Survivors who are deaf, hard of hearing or who have difficulty speaking may call TTY 800-462-7585. The lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time until further notice. Online registration is available at DisasterAssistance.gov.

There are now 16 Mississippi counties designated for FEMA’s Individual Assistance program, including: Bolivar, Clarke, Coahoma, Forrest, George, Greene, Jones, Marion, Panola, Pearl River, Perry, Quitman, Sunflower, Tunica, Washington and Wayne.

Assistance may include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, and for other serious disaster-related needs, such as repairing or replacing damaged or destroyed personal property, medical and dental expenses. Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration may also be available to cover losses not fully compensated by insurance.

Mississippi residents in the 16 designated counties should register with FEMA even if they have insurance, but only if their property was damaged by the severe storms and flooding. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but under-insured applicants may receive help after their insurance claims have been settled.

Registering with FEMA is required for federal aid, even if the person has registered with another disaster-relief organization. Federal disaster aid does not affect other government benefits, such as Social Security and Medicaid, and is not considered taxable income. Only one person per household is eligible to register. Survivors must use the name that appears on their Social Security cards when registering with FEMA.

Applicants will be asked for the following information:

• Social Security number
• Address of the damaged home or apartment
• Description of the damage
• Information about insurance coverage
• A current contact telephone number
• An address where they can receive mail
• Bank account and routing numbers for direct deposit of funds

For more information on Mississippi’s flood recovery, go to fema.gov/disaster/4268 or visit the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency site at msema.org.

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All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status, or retaliation. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, call 800-621-3362 or 800-462-7585(TTY/TDD).

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, applicants who are referred to SBA must submit the loan application to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

The U.S. Small Business Administration is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations.