The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Louisiana and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by severe storms and flooding beginning on August 11, 2016, and continuing.

The President's action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in the parishes of East Baton Rouge, Livingston, St. Helena, and Tangipahoa.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding also is available to the state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work as a result of the flooding in the parishes of East Baton Rouge, Livingston, St. Helena, and Tangipahoa.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Gerard M. Stolar as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. 

FEMA said that damage surveys are continuing in other areas, and more parishes and additional forms of assistance may be designated after the assessments are fully completed.

FEMA said that residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated parishes can begin applying for assistance tomorrow by registering online at http://www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired.  The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice.  

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Severe weather conditions left numerous cities without electricity, one person reported dead  Weather storm has covered nearly the whole territory of Ukraine.

Numerous regions report of accidents and power cuts caused by heavy rains and winds. Local residents also suffer from the consequences of natural disasters.

A 20-year-old man died in Kharkiv region amidst the field, his mother later found his body. In a while the medical expertise showed he had been struck by lightning and died because of electrical shock.

Ihor Lupandin, member of Ukraine's State Emergency Service in Kharkiv Region: "The field is an open space, so it is no surprise the man was killed by lightning. The medics later confirmed he had been damaged by electricity. Except for the thunderstorm, there can be no other reasons."

Torrential rains followed by thunderstorm struck several districts of the city of Kharkiv. The meteorologists say there have been a monthly rainfall level during one night. Four cars have been damaged so far, several multistoried buildings remain without roof, for it has been torn off by strong wind flow. The workers of communal service say they will need at least a couple of days to eliminate the results of the weather disaster.

15 villages in the whole region remain without electrical supply.

In the city of Dnipro the abnormal heat was replaced by heavy rains and thunderstorm. A great deal of rainfall has resulted in massive floods in the city centre, as well as the outskirts. In order to escape submerging deeply in water, numerous pedestrians had to climb up the benches. Those driving a car encountered additional problems, since the vehicles were not able to move through the entire water front. Some of the number plates were washed off, now the police seek for their owners. 

Photo courtesy - social media

One more accident caused by weather conditions happened in the city of Poltava, that is north-eastern Ukraine. A multistoried building caught fire after being hit by lightning. A portion of electricity struck the aerial on the roof, the next moment the flame encompassed the area of 500 square metres in total.

City administration sent the whole firemen staff to battle the fire. Despite big number of workers, they managed to extinguish the flame only three hours later. One of the flats on the 5th floor is totally burnt, 10 other apartments are flooded with water, the roof is also partially destroyed.

Ukrainian capital also suffered from bad weather. In the centre of Kyiv strong winds overthrew an old maple. No injuries reported, though the centennial tree damaged four cars, electrical cable, and protective net on one of the balconies. The vehicles belonged mainly to the workers of Ukraine's Security Service that is situated close to the site. Now some of them are set to complain to the court.