Governor Kehoe Requests Federal Disaster Declarations for 2 Storm Systems that Resulted in Damage in Southwest Missouri
JUNE 21, 2025
Jefferson City — Today, Governor Mike Kehoe requested two federal disaster declarations in response to severe storms that resulted in heavy damage to homes, businesses, and public infrastructure in a total of eight counties in southwest Missouri this spring:
- A U.S. Small Business (SBA) Disaster Declaration to provide low interest SBA Disasters Loans for Greene, Lawrence, and Newton counties in response to severe storms, tornadoes, heavy rains, hail, and flooding that occurred on April 29; and
- A federal Major Disaster Declaration to provide federal assistance to Dade, Douglas, Ozark, Vernon, and Webster counties in response to the severe storms, straight-line winds, hail, heavy rains, and flooding that occurred throughout Memorial Day weekend, May 23-26.
“The State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and local partners worked in close coordination with FEMA and the Small Business Administration and once again documented large amounts of costly damage and response expenditures that meet thresholds for federal assistance to these impacted areas,” Governor Kehoe said. “Today, we are requesting a federal disaster declaration for the May 23-26 storms to rebuild damaged infrastructure in five counties and low interest loans to support homeowners, renters, and businesses in the three counties hardest by the April 29 storms.”
Joint preliminary damage assessments conducted by the SBA, SEMA, and local officials authorities documented that at least 80 homes and five businesses in Greene, Lawrence, and Newton counties sustained major damage and uninsured losses of more than 40% in the April 29 storms and warrant low interest disaster loans that would be made available through a Small Business Administration Disaster Declaration for physical and economic injury. President Donald Trump previously, on June 9, approved a federal Major Disaster Declaration for Public Assistance to repair and replace public infrastructure damaged in the April 29 storms, which included Greene, Lawrence and Newton counties.
Joint preliminary damage assessments conducted by FEMA, SEMA, and local officials estimated more than $18 million in emergency response costs and damage to public infrastructure in Dade, Douglas, Ozark, Vernon, and Webster counties as a result of the May 23-26 storms. The federal Major Disaster Declaration the Governor is seeking for this period would make the FEMA Public Assistance program available to local governments and qualifying nonprofits for the repair and rebuilding of damaged roads, bridges, and other public infrastructure as well as reimbursement of emergency response costs and debris removal.
Missourians with unmet needs are encouraged to contact United Way by dialing 2-1-1 or the American Red Cross at 1-800-733-2767. For additional resources and information about disaster recovery in Missouri, including general clean-up information, housing assistance, and mental health services, please visit recovery.mo.gov.
The following outlines the current status of Governor Kehoe's additional federal assistance requests from this spring:
March 14 - 15 Storms
Status: Major Disaster Declaration Approved
March 30 - April 8 Storms
Status: Major Disaster Declaration Approved
April 29 Storms
Status: Major Disaster Declaration Approved
SBA Physical Disaster Declaration Requested on June 21
May 16 Storms
Status: Major Disaster Declaration Approved
May 23 - 26 Storms
Status: Major Disaster Declaration Requested on June 21
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