FEMA talks about damage assessment in light of WV disaster reque - WOWK 13 Charleston, Huntington WV News, Weather, Sports

FEMA talks about damage assessment in light of WV disaster request

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By April Kaull, Anchor - bio | email

Federal financial help could be on the way to West Virginia to help with costs associated with the round of storms that hit the area between June 29 and July 10.

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, D-W.Va., requested a major disaster declaration on Tuesday. If approved the assistance would help with repairs to roads, bridges, telecommunications infrastructure and provide disaster assistance to state agencies, cities, towns and counties.

It's estimated that financial losses, emergency response and repair costs could exceed millions of dollars. A spokesperson for the Federal Emergency Management Agency said that damage assessment continues.

"If public assistance is approved, we very quickly will work with all the government entities that reported damages in their areas and that could be on anything the taxpayer owns. That can be on roads and bridges, that can be on city halls, a school a library, anything owned by the West Virginia taxpayer," said Frank Blake with FEMA.