Article archive / December 2020
Originally published: . Volume 11, No. 12. Source pages: 3.
On November 25, Gov. Edwards announced that he had requested a Major Disaster Declaration, formally requesting direct assistance to those people and communities impacted by Hurricane Zeta. Hurricane Zeta made landfall in Lafourche Parish on October 28 as a very strong Category 2 hurricane with sustained winds of 110 mph. In addition, the same areas hit by Zeta are also still recovering from Category 4 Hurricane Laura, Category 2 Hurricane Delta and the ongoing battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. "Hurricane Zeta was the third storm within two months to wreak havoc on communities that were already in the process of rebuilding their homes and businesses damaged by two previous storms," said Gov. Edwards. "Zeta landed as a strong Category 2 storm but was likely a Category 3 hurricane and brought considerable damage to the impacted areas." The Governor is specifically requesting Individual Assistance for Jefferson, Lafourche, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, and Terrebonne Parishes (6); debris removal (Category A) for Jefferson, Lafourche, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, and St. Charles Parishes (6); emergency protective measures (Category B), including direct federal assistance under the Public Assistance program for Acadia, Allen, Ascension, Assumption, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Livingston, Lafayette, Lafourche, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Vermilion, Washington, West Baton Rouge, and West Feliciana Parishes (35); and Hazard Mitigation statewide. Earlier in November, Melissa Wilkins, MPA, FEMA Public Affairs Specialist, provided an update for hurricanes Laura and Delta.
* For Hurricane Laura, FEMA has put $185 million in the hands of survivors, $127 million for housing assistance and $59 million for other needs assistance. * Additionally, the SBA has approved almost $407 million in low interest loans. * FEMA has registered 220,855 households for Hurricane Laura. * For survivors of Hurricane Delta, FEMA has put more than $6 million in the hands of survivors, $5 million for housing assistance and $985 thousand for other needs assistance. * Additionally, the SBA has approved $3 million in low interest loans. * FEMA has registered 31,885 households for Hurricane Delta.
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