By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

Ellis County and a number of surrounding counties will get disaster relief from the federal government after a series of storms in early September.

Director of Fire and Emergency Management for Ellis County Darin Myers said Thursday morning President Barack Obama has declared a major disaster declaration for severe storms and flooding that occurred in northwest and central Kansas from Sept. 2 to 12.

Counties included in the disaster declaration for public assistance are Cheyenne, Cowley, Ellis, Graham, Greenwood, Kingman, Norton, Rooks, Russell, Sedgwick and Sumner.

Those counties are eligible for funding to repair or replace disaster-damaged facilities.

Myers said state and federal officials have already surveyed the damage in Ellis County and now officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will meet with all agencies affected. He said the county is eligible to receive up to 85-percent of the funds lost due to the storms; 70-percent from FEMA, 10-percent from the state and 15 percent from the applicant.

Ellis County officials declared a state of local disaster on Sept. 7 after it was determined the damage from flooding from two separate storms caused substantial damage. In order for Ellis County to qualify for state aid, the county must sustain more than $100,000 in damage. The state must also reach the $4 million threshold to be eligible for federal relief funds. The governor submitted the request for a presidential declaration on Oct. 10.

This does not cover private property damaged by the storm. Anyone who had private property damaged in the storm can contact Emergency Service at (785) 625-1061.