Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds Request $4 Billion in FEMA Aid as Locals Continue to Cope with Storm Damage

As Iowa continues to cope with the aftermath of a storm that brought hurricane-force winds to millions of acres of farmland, Governor Kim Reynolds is formally requesting an expedited Presidential Major Disaster Declaration and seeking nearly $4 billion in public aid to rebuild.

“From cities to farms, Iowans are hurting, many still have challenges with shelter, food, and power,” Reynolds said Sunday. “Resilience is in our DNA, but we’re going to need a strong and timely federal response to support recovery efforts.”

She said she has spoken with President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence and is hoping to receive funding from Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Individual Assistance Program to support the recovery of 27 counties.

It has been a week since the derecho, a severe storm system that involves heavy winds, tornadoes and rain, tore through Iowa, killing at least three, destroyed or extensively damaged nearly 10,000 homes and left more than half a million residents without power.

As of Sunday night, 83,000 people were still without power, utility companies reported.

The storm also took down as many as 14 million acres of farmland, which makes up about a third of the state’s total farmland, and likely left at least hundreds of millions of bushels of storage grain bins unsalvageable, the New York Times reported.

Local volunteers are continuing to help residents clear debris out of homes and yards, The Gazette reported.

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