MOUNTAIN VIEW — At a Mtn. View city council special meeting held Friday afternoon, Mayor Charry McCann addressed a small group of citizens and gave updates on storm damage, cleanup efforts and the final count on injuries and property damage and destruction.
The meeting was also attended by the Missouri Department of Public Safety State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) Region G Coordinator Kent Edge, who talked about the process of filing claims to be reimbursed by SEMA funding when there is no insurance or inadequate insurance carried by the property owner.
Missouri SEMA Region G includes Carter, Douglas, Howell, Oregon, Ozark, Reynolds, Shannon, Texas and Wright counties. Edge is part of a team that began performing damage assessments and verifications in the area May 27 after destructive storms moved through the area.
A confirmed EF3 tornado hit the Mtn. View area on May 26, McCann commented, injuring one resident severely enough to require hospitalization and destroying six properties, with major damage to an additional five properties.
Two mobile homes were destroyed, another four had major damage and four had minor damage, she said. On May 30, Missouri's Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, acting on behalf of Gov. Mike Parson who was in Italy on a trade mission, announced the state will ask the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to get involved as a joint effort, and as a first step in securing federal disaster assistance to those who suffered losses.
The teams will verify documented damage to determine if individual assistance can be requested through FEMA. It allows eligible residents to seek federal assistance for temporary housing, housing repairs, replacement of damaged belongings, vehicles, and other qualifying expenses, Edge said.
Additional counties that were affected by that round of storms and high winds and flooding earlier in May will also be assessed.
Edge let everyone know that cleanup and repair could begin, but reminded property owners to document damage beforehand and submit claims to private insurance first.
As far as city-owned property, the men's restroom at Wayside Park had some roof damage, a building at the sanitation department was also damaged and a shed at the cemetery was blown down but will not be replaced, McCann said.
Missourians with unmet needs are encouraged to contact the United Way by dialing 211 or the American Red Cross at 800-733-2767. For additional resources and information about disaster recovery in Missouri, including general clean-up information, housing assistance, and mental health services, visit recovery.mo.gov.
The governor's executive order will expire on June 30, unless otherwise terminated or extended, Kehoe added.
