DES MOINES – Governor Chet Culver today issued a disaster proclamation for Buena Vista, Butler, Clay, Davis, Emmet, Hamilton, Howard, Jefferson, Lee, O’Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Van Buren and Webster counties in response to recent severe weather. The proclamation allows state resources to be deployed to help individuals who need assistance and reside in the affected counties.

Governor Culver has already issued disaster proclamations for the counties of Cherokee, Decatur, Franklin, Hancock, Mahaska, Marion, Monroe, Polk, Ringgold, Sioux, Taylor, Union, Warren and Wright counties.

The disaster proclamations authorize the implementation of the State Individual Assistance Grant Program to assist eligible residents of those counties. The state monitors the needs of families after a storm or flooding occurs and then issues the disaster proclamation on an as-needed basis. The Governor urges people impacted by recent flooding to contact their county emergency management coordinators to report damages so the state is aware of the needs of each county.

Application information for residents in counties where the State Individual Assistance Grant Program has been made available is posted on the Department of Human Services website. Visit www.dhs.state.ia.us and click on Storm Help, or call 877-937-3663.

Governor Culver continues to be in close contact with the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division, the National Weather Service, and Army Corps of Engineers to carefully monitor weather conditions and flooding potential. The Army Corps of Engineers is working with cities and jurisdictions to lend technical assistance, and is working in the Birdland levee area of Des Moines.

There are currently 41 Iowa counties currently under flood warnings.  A list of all counties with current watches, warnings or advisories may be found at www.weather.gov/alerts/ia.html.