Howard County’s storm damage assessments from the late-April tornadoes started this week, part of the first formal step counties take toward FEMA money. SEMA had assessors in Carroll, Greene, Holt, and Saline counties starting Tuesday, with Howard and Randolph counties following Thursday and Monroe County handled virtually, ABC17 reports.
The assessments follow the April 27 severe weather that produced tornadoes rated EF-0 to EF-2 across the region, including the EF-2 that tore through Gilliam and Glasgow in Howard County. Damage assessments are the box counties have to check before any federal disaster money can start flowing — not the money itself, just the documentation that opens the door to it.
Why it matters here: if your place, or a neighbor’s out toward Glasgow or Gilliam, took damage in that storm, this week is when county officials are on the ground counting it. It’s also the process to watch if you’re wondering whether federal disaster aid is coming to Howard County at all — this is step one, and it takes a while from here.