DES MOINES – Governor Terry E. Branstad today issued a proclamation of disaster emergency for Benton, Humboldt, and Wright counties in response to recent severe weather.
Much of that area was hit hard with storms over the weekend. The storms resulted in the City of Eagle Grove declaring a State of Emergency. Currently, in Wright county, Eagle Grove is under an advisory to boil the water and not to drink the water. The city has experienced significant tree damage and damage to private and public property. Eagle Grove police said Sunday that “The City of Eagle Grove Street Dept. and Water Dept. crews have put in many hours today to help out the residents of Eagle Grove. The Fire Dept. went on several calls as well. Many residents were out helping others clean up their yards. It was a great day to be a resident of Eagle Grove.”
According to weather.gov, during the early morning hours of July 17, 2016, a line of thunderstorms tracked from southeast South Dakota to eastern Iowa, bringing damaging winds to many locations along its path. In north central Iowa, locations such as Eagle Grove, Fort Dodge, and Steamboat Rock bore much of the damage. It appears that all of the wind damage in central Iowa was the result of straight-line winds. Multiple buildings were impacted along with hundreds of trees downed, along with crop damage. These storms also brought heavy rainfall to northern Iowa and resulted in flash flooding to some locations, including Mason City.
The governor’s proclamation allows state resources to be utilized to respond to and recover from the effects of severe storms that significantly impacted the state beginning July 16, 2016. In addition, the proclamation activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Program for Benton and Wright county residents.
The Iowa Individual Assistance Program provides grants of up to $5,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the current federal poverty level, or a maximum annual income of $40,320 for a family of three. Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of clothing or food, and for the expense of temporary housing. Original receipts are required for those seeking reimbursement for actual expenses related to storm recovery. The grant application and instructions are available on the Iowa Department of Human Services website. Potential applicants have 45 days from the date of the proclamation to submit a claim.
