LANSING, Mich. — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has filed an appeal in response to FEMA’s decision to decline federal aid to Southwest Michigan after a tornado ravaged the area in May.
Four tornadoes, including an EF-2 in Portage, made contact with the ground on May 7. The Portage tornado was 1 mph shy of being classified as an EF-3.
The storm dealt significant damage, and the governor says reports are still being filed in connection to the natural disaster.
State, local and federal officials assessed the damage at an estimate of $4 million.
FEMA denied Whitmer’s initial request for federal assistance in July on the grounds that additional funding was not needed.
"Michiganders across southwest Michigan continue to rebuild and recover more than four months after the tornadoes and severe storms caused massive damage across the region,” says Governor Whitmer. “Damage reports continue to come in as people have lost their homes and businesses. In response, I am appealing the denial of a presidential disaster declaration so we can deliver critical financial assistance to support our resilient families, businesses, and communities as they recover.”
Kalamazoo
'This scar has not healed': Portage working on FEMA tornado decision appeal
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