People in six KY counties hit by storms, tornadoes can now apply for FEMA help
President Donald Trump has approved Gov. Andy Beshear’s request for federal disaster assistance in six Kentucky counties affected by severe storms and tornadoes last weekend.
People in Caldwell, Laurel, Pulaski, Russell, Trigg and Union counties can apply for individual assistance through FEMA, the agency said Friday night.
“Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster,” a FEMA news release stated.
Beshear said in a statement on the social media platform X Friday night that “this process takes time and we will add more counties to our request as damage assessments are completed.”
Beshear has also requested individual assistance for people in Christian and Todd counties, public assistance for cities and counties affected by the disaster and hazard mitigation for the entire state, but those requests had not yet been approved as of Saturday.
Beshear thanked Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in his social media post Friday, saying the support “is essential to helping families affected rebuild.”
The storms May 16 and 17 left 19 Kentuckians dead, including 17 people in Laurel County, and severely injured others.
An EF-4 tornado carved a path more than 55 miles long across Pulaski and Laurel counties, destroying or heavily damaging at least 1,500 homes, according to initial estimates included in Beshear’s request.
The cost of cleaning up the debris was estimated at $59 million.
Individuals and business owners can apply for assistance by visiting DisasterAssistance.gov, calling 800-621-3362 or using the FEMA app.
Applications can also be submitted at two disaster recovery centers that opened Saturday.
The Laurel County center is at the Laurel County Public Library, 120 College Park Drive, London, and the Pulaski County center is at the Center for Rural Development, 2292 S. Hwy. 27 #300, Somerset. Both locations are open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 1 to 7 p.m. Sundays.
Beshear’s office said other centers will be opening soon, and FEMA teams — who will have FEMA identification and be dressed in FEMA clothing — planned to walk through affected neighborhoods to talk with survivors.
The governor’s office said people who apply must make sure they upload the necessary documents to the FEMA website or app and make sure they can be reached at the contact information they provide the agency.
The damaged home must the the applicant’s primary residence, and the losses must not have already been covered by another source, such as insurance.
People who wish to appeal a decision by FEMA can do so on the agency’s website, by visiting a disaster recovery center or by sending an appeal via mail or fax.
This story was originally published May 23, 2025 at 9:46 PM.
