Southwest Michigan counties to get disaster aid following May 7 tornadoes

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Monday that portions of Southwest Michigan will receive funding from the state's Disaster and Emergency Contingency Fund following the May 7 tornadoes.

Nearly $11 million of financial assistance will be provided to 17 counties. The money from the latest budget covered Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas counties after the governor declared three states of emergency in the last 16 months.

Kalamazoo County received $1.5 million, Branch County received $31,000, $21,000 went to St. Joseph County, and $13,000 to Cass County.

The funds are limited to helping local governments recoup costs from disasters.

The Branch County claim came from the road commission for salaries, overtime and equipment used to remove tree damage from the Sherwood Township May 7 tornado, county administrator Bud Norman told the county commission last month when filing the claim.

FEMA denied federal aid for the May 7 severe thunderstorms and tornadoes that struck the four counties.

The state said the May storm system resulted in 16 injuries and caused significant damage to homes, businesses, and the power grid.

The storm saw hail from 1 to 4 inches in diameter with dangerous straight-line winds. Debris removal and other storm-related clean-up lasted several weeks.

State statute provides that under extraordinary circumstances, the governor may authorize reimbursement from the Disaster and Emergency Contingency Fund to provide state assistance to counties and municipalities when federal emergency reimbursement is unavailable.

None of the aid covers private losses from the storms.

"(Monday’s) disaster assistance will help Michiganders in 17 counties recover after tornadoes, flooding, and rapid snowmelt,” Whitmer said in a statement. “By declaring these disasters and working with our federal partners, we are making more state resources available to impacted areas more quickly and efficiently. Michiganders are tough, and we will rebuild and come back stronger the best way we know how — together."

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— Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Southwest Michigan counties to get disaster aid following May 7 tornadoes