Stitt thanks Biden, urges Oklahomans to report storm damages

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt thanked President Joe Biden’s administration Thursday for quickly approving additional disaster assistance to help the state recover from last week’s winter storm.

Stitt also urged Oklahomans to continue to report storm-related damages.

“Oklahomans experienced a once-in-a-lifetime storm last week, and this individual assistance is critical for our full recovery,” Stitt said.

The additional federal disaster declaration issued late Wednesday by the Biden administration allows homeowners, renters and businesses in 16 Oklahoma counties to apply for disaster assistance or low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Biden had already approved Stitt’s previous request for disaster assistance to provide financial assistance to cities, counties and tribes in all 77 counties for costs associated with responding to the storm.

The 16 counties currently eligible for the additional assistance are Canadian, Carter, Cherokee, Comanche, Cotton, Hughes, Jefferson, Le Flore, McIntosh, Oklahoma, Okmulgee, Osage, Pittsburg, Stephens, Tulsa and Wagoner.