Missouri – Missouri communities hit by destructive flash flooding in July will now have federal help to repair roads, bridges and other public infrastructure, following approval of the state’s latest disaster request.
President Donald J. Trump approved Governor Mike Kehoe’s request for a major disaster declaration covering nine counties affected by the July 9-11 flooding and severe storms, opening the door to Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance.
The declaration applies to Bollinger, Crawford, Iron, Madison, Morgan, Reynolds, Ripley, Washington and Wayne counties. Through FEMA’s Public Assistance program, local governments and eligible nonprofit organizations can seek reimbursement for emergency response costs and funding to repair or restore damaged public infrastructure.
“When historic flash flooding and storms devastated parts of south-central and southeast Missouri earlier this summer, our first responders, state emergency management team, and the Missouri National Guard were prepared and acted without hesitation as they rushed to rescue and evacuate flood victims,” Governor Kehoe said.
“I appreciated the opportunity to speak with President Trump and share with him the incredible stories of heroism witnessed that night and in the days that followed. We thank President Trump for approving our major disaster declaration request and for his continued support as Missouri families and communities recover and rebuild.”
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The scale of the damage became clearer in the weeks after the storms. Kehoe formally requested the federal declaration on July 29 after joint Preliminary Damage Assessments involving the State Emergency Management Agency, FEMA and local officials identified more than $26.5 million in public infrastructure damage and emergency response expenses.
The July flooding declaration is Missouri’s third federal disaster declaration of 2026.
Earlier in the year, Trump approved FEMA Public Assistance following storms that struck Missouri from April 23 through April 28. A separate declaration was also approved for severe storms that affected the state from June 4 through June 18.
The latest approval shifts the recovery effort from immediate rescue and cleanup toward longer-term rebuilding, particularly for local governments dealing with costly damage to public facilities and transportation infrastructure.
Missourians who still have unmet needs can contact United Way by dialing 2-1-1 or reach the American Red Cross at 1-800-733-2767.
Additional information about cleanup, housing assistance, mental health services and other disaster recovery resources is available through recovery.mo.gov.
