UNION CITY, MI (WTVB) – The Federal Emergency Management Agency has denied Michigan’s appeal for federal disaster assistance for victims of the deadly March 6, tornadoes that struck Branch, Cass, and St. Joseph counties.
FEMA initially rejected the state’s request in May for Individual Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds, determining that the damage was not severe enough to exceed the capabilities of state, local, and voluntary agencies.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer appealed the decision on June 23, but the agency rejected the appeal, leaving residents without access to federal grants for temporary housing, home repairs, and other uninsured losses.
The March 6 storms produced four tornadoes, including an EF-3 that killed three people near Union City in Branch County and another that claimed the life of a 12-year-old boy near Edwardsburg in Cass County; several others were injured and hundreds of structures were damaged across the three counties.
Michigan State Police Capt. Kevin Sweeny, head of the Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division, said the state will continue working with local partners to support recovery and connect survivors with available resources, including previously offered low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Local organizations and community foundations remain active in providing case management and financial aid to those still recovering now more than five months later
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