LANSING, MI (WTVB) – Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced on Monday that southwest Michigan will get over $1-point-6 million from the state’s Disaster and Emergency Contingency Fund following the May 7 tornados.
Most of the money will go to Kalamazoo County. That county will receive over $1-point-5 million while Branch County will get over $31,000, St. Joseph County will receive just under $21,000 while Cass County will get over $13,000.
The money was used for debris removal and other storm-related cleanup that lasted several weeks. Four tornadoes hit the area, including an EF-2 that destroyed and damaged homes and businesses in the city of Portage along with Pavilion and Texas Townships.
Governor Whitmer says it is part of nearly $11 million in emergency relief funds given to 17 counties in the state.
The most was $5.1 million for the Upper Peninsula for a rapid snowmelt that lead to floodwaters that damaged homes, businesses, roads, bridges, and other infrastructure. The flooding overwhelmed storm water and sewer systems, burst dams, caused culverts and embankments to fail, and damaged drinking water systems.
Another $4.2 million went to counties from Kent southeast to Wayne for tornado and flooding relief from the August 24, 2023 storm.
A request from Whitmer to declare a major disaster for the May 7 tornadoes that hit Branch, Cass, Kalamazoo, and St. Joseph counties has been denied by Federal Emergency Management Agency.
(Michael Arney contributed to this report)
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