North Dakota Asks White House For Disaster Aid After Back To Back Storms

Gov. Kelly Armstrong has asked the federal government to step in after a pair of early June storms left a wide stretch of North Dakota dealing with costly damage.

The request, sent to the White House, seeks a presidential major disaster declaration tied to storms that hit June 7 and again on June 9. State officials estimate more than $4.6 million in damage to public infrastructure, including the cost of debris removal.

The first round brought powerful straight-line winds, described as similar to a derecho, with gusts estimated between 80 and 100 mph. Two days later, a second system moved through, producing supercell thunderstorms, tornadoes and large hail.

Together, the back-to-back events caused damage across several counties. Utilities were hit hard, trees were downed and homes, businesses and public structures reported varying levels of impact. More than 25,000 people lost power during the storms.

A state disaster declaration was issued June 30 as recovery efforts got underway.

In the request, Armstrong said communities were still picking up from the first storm when the second round arrived, adding to the strain on local response efforts and increasing overall costs.

The state is seeking assistance for Bottineau, Burke, Divide, McLean, Mercer, Oliver and Williams counties. If approved, the declaration would make federal funding available through FEMA’s public assistance program to help repair and replace damaged infrastructure.

Get our free mobile app

State officials say the aid would ease the burden on local governments as cleanup and rebuilding continue.