Disaster Proclamation for Buchanan County Following Tuesday’s Storms

Buchanan County has been declared a disaster area following the severe storms that moved through on Tuesday evening. 

Governor Kim Reynolds issued the disaster proclamation on Wednesday for Buchanan County, as well as Clay, Henry, Palo, Alto and Plymouth counties. According to reports via the National Weather Service, Emergency Management and the general public, Buchanan County was impacted by large hail around baseball size, reports of a possible tornado, damaging winds and washed out roads.

The governor’s proclamation allows state resources to be utilized to respond to and recover from the effects of this severe weather and activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program and the Disaster Case Advocacy Program for those counties. 

The Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program provides grants up to $7,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of personal property or food, and temporary housing expenses. Original receipts are required for those seeking reimbursement for actual expenses related to storm recovery.  

The Disaster Case Advocacy Program addresses serious needs related to disaster-related hardship, injury, or adverse conditions. Disaster case advocates work with clients to create a disaster recovery plan and provide guidance, advice, and referrals to obtain a service or resource. There are no income eligibility requirements for this program; it closes 180 days from the date of Governor Reynolds’ proclamation.  

The Disaster Assistance Request Form and instructions can be found on the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management website at homelandsecurity.iowa.gov/assistance.

photo taken near Masonville courtesy of Lori Haight