Deadline approaches to apply for EIDL loans from Jan. 9 storm damage, Bamberg tornado

SOUTH CAROLINA (WJBF) – According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, people located in declared disaster zones from Jan. 9, 2024’s storm and tornado damage in South Carolina might be eligible for financial assistance.

On Jan. 9, 2024, an EF-2 tornado touched down in Bamberg, S.C. and storms damaged many surrounding counties . Several buildings in Downtown Bamberg were severely damaged, with surveillance footage capturing the moment the tornado barreled through the area.

As a result of the damage, the U.S. Small Business Administration declared that Bamberg and the and the neighboring counties of Allendale, Barnwell, Colleton, Hampton and Orangeburg might be able to borrow up to $2 million “for alleviating economic injury caused by the disaster.”

Businesses and non-profits have until Dec. 23, 2024 to apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans .

The U.S. Small Business Administration classifies Economic Injury Disaster Loans as the following:

Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) – Working capital loans to help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes meet their ordinary and necessary financial obligations that cannot be met as a direct result of the disaster. These loans are intended to assist through the disaster
recovery period.

Those interested in applying for assistance can visit the U.S. SBA website , call (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.

The application filing deadline for Physical Damage was May 21, 2024.

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