Missouri governor asks Trump for federal disaster declaration following June storms

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe is asking President Donald Trump to approve a major federal disaster declaration for 34 counties following a two-week stretch of severe weather that caused widespread flash flooding, tornadoes and damaging straight-line winds.

The request, submitted Thursday, covers storm damage from June 4 through June 18.

If approved, the declaration would make FEMA Public Assistance funding available to local governments and eligible nonprofit organizations to help cover emergency response costs and repair damaged public infrastructure.

"Missourians have shown incredible resilience in the face of repeated severe weather, but the damage from this two-week storm system extended across nearly one-third of the state and has placed a tremendous strain on local communities," Kehoe said in a statement. "Federal assistance will provide critical support as communities continue repairing essential infrastructure and recovering from these devastating storms."

Four counties around Joplin are in that request, including Jasper, Newton, Vernon and Dade.

This follows storms we saw the night of Saturday June 13th, that brought swaths of 85 to 95mph wind gusts and a few brief tornadoes.

According to the governor's office, joint damage assessments by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency and local officials estimated more than $32.3 million in emergency response costs and damage to roads, bridges and other public infrastructure.