Governor J.B. Pritzker has declared Washington County and five other counties as disaster areas following severe weather and flooding that occurred on July 13th through the 16th. Other counties covered by the proclamation are St. Clair County, Winnebago, Fulton, and Henry Counties.
The proclamation comes after the Illinois Emergency Management agency and Office of Homeland Security, in collaboration with local governments, concluded extensive field work to determine the amount of damage. Based on the reports, local resources and capabilities have been exhausted and state and federal resources are needed to respond to help the recovery effort.
The storms caused substantial flooding resulting in significant property damage with widespread power outages and blocked roadways.
If the Governor’s request is approved, the declaration would enable impacted communities to access individual assistance from FEMA and disaster loans from the US Small Business Administration.
