More counties granted Federal Major Disaster declaration

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) – Four additional counties have been added to the Federal Major Disaster declaration first signed by President Biden on Sept. 30.

Federal funding will now go to Effingham, Elbert, Tift and Rabun, totaling 45 counties receiving aid. That number is expected to increase as Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security (GEMA/HS) officials continue gathering reports of damage.

“The extension of the Major Disaster Declaration to include Effingham County marks a critical milestone in our community’s road to recovery,” said Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns. “We’re grateful to President Biden’s Administration for recognizing the severity of damage across our Southeast Georgia Counties. We will continue working alongside our federal partners, state leaders and emergency management agencies until every hard-hit community receives a FEMA Disaster Declaration and gets the resources they need to fully recover.”

The full list of counties approved to receive FEMA funds is as follows:

Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brooks, Bulloch, Burke, Candler, Chatham, Clinch, Coffee, Colquitt, Columbia, Cook, Echols, Effingham, Elbert, Emanuel, Evans, Glascock, Irwin, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Lanier, Laurens, Liberty, Lincoln, Lowndes, McDuffie, Montgomery, Pierce, Rabun, Richmond, Screven, Tattnall, Telfair, Tift, Toombs, Treutlen, Ware, Washington and Wheeler counties.