Nashville, TN – On Oct 2nd, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee announced approval of his request for an Expedited Major Disaster Declaration, making recovery assistance available to eight counties.

“State and local officials, first responders and volunteers continue to provide critical support to impacted Tennessee communities following significant flood damage,” said Gov. Lee. “As Tennesseans begin the rebuilding process, I thank our federal partners for granting resources to further our severe weather response and recovery in Northeast Tennessee.”

The Tennessee counties named in the Expedited Major Disaster Declaration are Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi, and Washington. Damage assessments remain in progress and additional requests will inform additional requests to be made to the federal government.

This disaster declaration includes the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Public Assistance (PA) Emergency Work Categories A and B, Individual Assistance (IA), Hazard Mitigation Grant, and Direct Federal Assistance.

“The devastation caused by this disaster is tragic,” said TEMA Director Patrick C. Sheehan. “The Expedited Major Disaster Declaration is a crucial first step in providing survivors with essential resources. Our focus remains on a survivor-centered response, ensuring that the recovery process is as smooth and supportive as possible for those impacted.”

Gov. Lee and TEMA Director Sheehan also shared guidance and resources that are available to Tennesseans in impacted areas:

- Individuals in the declared counties can now apply for direct assistance through FEMA’s IA program online anytime or by phone at 1-800-621-3362 between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. CDT. Multilingual operators are available.

- Those eligible for FEMA’s IA program may receive help with rental assistance, home repair, and personal property replacement, in addition to other uninsured or underinsured disaster losses.

- More information on FEMA’s IA program can be found here.

On September 26, Tennessee began to be impacted by heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding in most areas of Northeast Tennessee. Due to the extensive precipitation, as of October 2, this weather event has claimed nine lives and left significant damage in Northeast Tennessee. Resources and updates for survivors can be found on the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency website.