NASHVILLE (AP) — President Joe Biden has granted an emergency declaration in Tennessee that will make federal assistance available to nine counties damaged by this weekend's tornadoes, Gov. Bill Lee announced Tuesday.
With the declaration, Cheatham, Decatur, Dickson, Dyer, Gibson, Lake, Obion, Stewart, and Weakley counties can seek reimbursement for emergency measures taken in response to the disaster. The declaration also directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide direct assistance to the nine counties.
Lee has said he will seek a major disaster declaration for some counties once local officials complete their assessments of the storm damage. That declaration would make FEMA's public assistance and individual assistance programs available in the declared counties.
While Kentucky took the worst damage from the deadly tornado-producing storm system that slammed the region overnight Friday, Tennessee saw at least 11 tornadoes and four storm deaths.