An aerial photo of flooding along the Edisto River after Tropical Storm Debby hit South Carolina in early August 2024. (Provided by Charleston County Sheriff’s Department)
COLUMBIA — South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster applied for federal disaster aid to help homeowners in Lowcountry counties impacted by Tropical Storm Debby last month.
The storm, which made landfall in South Carolina on Aug. 8, damaged more than 900 homes in Charleston, Colleton and Dorchester, according to Derrec Becker, spokesman for the state Emergency Management Division. Among those homes counted by county and state officials, issues ranged from minor damage to shingles to total destruction, he said.
Storm response and damage to public property also cost a dozen counties more than $16 million, according to estimates collected by county and state officials provided to the governor’s office.
In response, McMaster asked the Biden administration to issue a Presidential Disaster Declaration and a U.S. Small Business Administration disaster declaration for eligible counties.
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The Presidential Disaster Declaration would allow for direct aid to homeowners in Charleston, Colleton and Dorchester counties, as well as reimbursements to local governments in 12 counties.
If approved, uninsured and underinsured homeowners in only those three counties could apply for money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Individual Assistance Program to help cover costs such as home repair, as well as rent and hotel stays while they’re displaced. Assistance is available only for owner-occupied homes, not vacation or rental properties.
Becker said the reasons for submitting certain counties for aid vary. It could be that most of the homes damaged in other counties were adequately insured or that the estimated total damage in a county isn’t enough to qualify. Generally, state officials look for at least 100 uninsured homes with major damage before applying for aid, he said.
In those three counties, 84 residences had major damage, three were destroyed and drinking water from wells at 100 Charleston County homes was contaminated, according to damage estimates provided to the governor.
Local governments and eligible nonprofits in the following counties could get help through FEMA’s Public Assistance Program: Bamberg, Barnwell, Berkeley, Colleton, Dillon, Dorchester, Georgetown, Hampton, Horry, Jasper, Orangeburg, and Union counties. They could qualify for federal aid to help recoup their costs through the storm, such as creating flood barriers and operating shelters, as well as repairs after the storm to roads, bridges, stormwater systems and utilities.
If approved, the U.S. Small Business Administration disaster declaration would allow small businesses and residents in Berkeley and Orangeburg counties to apply for low-interest disaster loans to help with repairs.
This is an initial request for federal assistance, the governor’s office said in a statement. If approved, the governor may add more counties based on need.