Counties in our area have officially been declared state disaster areas after the mid-July derecho that went across Illinois and Iowa, producing flooding rains and tornadoes.
The Illinois Emergency Management Agency says Governor JB Pritzker has declared Henry and Fulton Counties — along with Cook, St. Clair, Washington, Winnebago, and Will Counties disaster areas with a proclamation issued Friday. A federal disaster declaration has been requested, but no word on when that might happen.
“Many areas across the state suffered extensive damages due to last month’s torrential rain, high winds, and flooding,” said Pritzker, in a news release. “To support those impacted across the state, I have signed a disaster proclamation to mobilize every available resource, accelerating the recovery process and providing relief for our residents. I want to thank IEMA-OHS for their ongoing coordination.”
The storms July 13th through the 16th, including the derecho, caused at least three tornadoes in Henry County, and damage and extreme rains in Fulton County.
In all cases, Pritzker says local resources have been exhausted in terms of clean-up, so state resources are necessary. He says the proclamation was issued following extensive work in the field through surveys and other means.
If a federal declaration is made, state officials say that will make even more resources available, like loans from the Small Business Administration.
