LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is asking President Donald Trump to broaden the state's disaster declaration for this month's historic flooding, allowing homeowners in Jefferson and other Louisville-area counties to seek federal recovery aid.
The request wants to add 16 counties to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's individual assistance program that helps people rebuild after natural disasters like the floods that inundated parts of Kentucky starting in early April.
Beshear is asking for Meade, Trimble, Bullitt and Jefferson counties along the Ohio River to be included in the declaration Trump approved last Friday. They would join 13 other counties eligible for the benefits, including Hardin County south of Louisville.
"These funds are crucial in helping our families and communities rebuild, and we are planning to add even more counties later this week," Beshear said in a statement. "We are committed to making sure our families get the help they need."
FEMA aid ranges from temporary housing grants to funds to help replace damaged personal property. More information on how to apply, and eligibility requirements, can be found here.
While it's early in the registration process, as of Monday "more than $334,000 is already in the hands of flood survivors in the 13 counties approved in the declaration," FEMA spokeswoman Nicole Wilson said in an email.
The April flooding declaration is the second such action Trump has approved for Kentucky this year. He signed off on the designation in February following severe weather that included straight-line winds, flooding and mudslides.
Beshear said last week that the Trump administration denied aid for additional counties he wanted to be included in the February declaration.
At least seven people died in Kentucky during the April floods, according to Beshear's office. The Ohio River crested at Louisville's McAlpine Upper gauge at 36.63 feet, making it one of the 10 worst floods in the city's history.
This story may be updated.
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