FEMA asked to include more Missouri counties as disaster areas

(A-P) — JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – Missouri is asking the federal government to expand a disaster declaration for this year’s flooding and storms to include 14 more counties and the city of St. Louis.

A request letter sent Tuesday says preliminary assessments have identified more than $14 million of emergency response costs and damage to public infrastructure in those jurisdictions. That’s on top of about $49 million of damages identified in 68 counties previously approved for the presidential disaster declaration.

The declaration covers flooding and storms that occurred between April 29 and July 5.

In addition to St. Louis city, the other counties for which Missouri is seeking federal public assistance are Benton, Boone, Callaway, Clay, Cooper, Dunklin, Gasconade, Howard, Lafayette, Lincoln, Pulaski, Scott, St. Clair and St. Charles.