ROCKINGHAM — As the cleanup continues following Hurricane Florence’s hit on the Carolinas, Richmond County has been added to the list of declared disaster areas.
State Sen. Tom McInnis announced the addition on his Facebook page Monday night at Richmond County Emergency Services made the announcement Tuesday afternoon.
The county is also included in the U.S. Small Business Administration’s disaster list.
County Manager Bryan Land said Wednesday that it will still be a few weeks before total assessment numbers are in, but damages are approaching $1 million.
Individuals can register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency by applying online at disasterassistance.gov or by calling 1-800-631-3362. Those who are speech or hearing impaired and use a text telephone can call 1-800-462-7585; those who use 711 or a video relay service should call 1-800-621-3362.
Businesses and nonprofits are eligible for both physical and economic injury disaster loans from the SBA and can borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other assets, according to a press release.
Loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace storm-damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters can apply for loans up to $40,000 to repair or replace personal property damaged or destroyed by the storm.
Applicants must be registered with FEMA and should apply online at DisasterLoan.sba.gov.
FEMA had designated 27 counties in southeastern North Carolina as disaster areas: Beaufort, Bladen, Brunswick, Carteret, Columbus, Craven, Cumberland, Duplin, Harnett, Hoke, Hyde, Johnston, Jones, Lee, Lenoir, Moore, New Hanover, Onslow, Pamlico, Pender, Pitt, Richmond, Robeson, Sampson, Scotland, Wayne and Wilson.
According to the agency’s website late Wednesday, 10,417 individual assistance applications had been approved with the total amount for its individual and households program coming in a t $33,240,572.33.
The city of New Bern (Craven County) announced earlier this week that homes and businesses had suffered $100 million in damages.
Five counties in northern South Carolina were also designated for disaster relief: Chesterfield, Marlboro, Dillon, Horry and Marion.
Both states still have many secondary roads closed after flood waters caused washouts.
Marlboro County Emergency Management announced late Tuesday that U.S. 1 just north of Wallace will be closed “weeks or longer” until major repairs can be made.
“DOT engineers discovered washout damage under the road that makes it unsafe for travel,” according to the Facebook post.
