WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) applauded President Trump for granting Governor Cooper’s disaster declaration for Western North Carolina to assist recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding from February 6 to February 19, 2020. Last month, Senator Tillis sent a letter to President Trump supporting Governor Cooper’s disaster declaration request.  

Following the declaration, federal funding will be available to state, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding in the counties of Alexander, Ashe, Cherokee, Cleveland, Graham, Madison, Mitchell, Pender, Perquimans, Polk, Randolph, Rutherford, Stanly, Stokes, Swain, Wayne, Yadkin, and Yancey.

“Severe weather at the beginning of February left Western North Carolina with excessive flooding causing mudslides, sinkholes, road washouts for major and minor highways, power outages for over 139,000 residents, and structure collapses,” said Senator Tillis. “Preliminary damage assessments found the counties affected sustained nearly $16 million in damages, exceeding the capabilities of the state and local governments to effectively recover. I want to thank President Trump for granting the Governor’s disaster declaration so Western North Carolina can continue to recover from these storms.”

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