Governor declares 10 counties disaster areas

Governor Mike Beebe has declared Baxter, Conway, Independence, Izard, Pope, Randolph, Sharp, Stone, Union and Van Buren Counties state disaster areas due to the damage caused by powerful tornadoes and violent thunderstorms on Tuesday, February 5. Governor Beebe toured damage sites in Pope, Van Buren, Baxter and Stone Counties, meeting with storm victims and local officials who are coordinating recovery efforts.

"The loss of life and property we saw from these storms is terrible, but Arkansas will rebuild. We always do," Beebe said. "Everywhere we went, we saw volunteers pouring in to help their friends, neighbors and, oftentimes complete strangers, get back on their feet."

The Arkansas Department of Emergency Management is establishing locations for Disaster Recovery Centers. Governor Beebe has also signed Arkansasss formal request for federal disaster assistance. He spoke by phone Wednesday with President George W. Bush, Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff and Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator R. David Paulison. All three offered federal resources, and FEMA assessment teams will be on the ground in Arkansas on Thursday.

Governor Beebe's disaster declaration releases $250,000 from the Governor’s Disaster Fund to be used by the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management through the Individual Assistance Program. Affected residents in all ten counties can apply for assistance by phone at 1-877-828-3362.