Armstrong requests presidential major disaster declaration for damage from severe storms in August

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BISMARCK, N.D. - Gov. Kelly Armstrong today requested a presidential major disaster declaration for severe storms in early August that caused roughly $6 million in damage to electrical infrastructure and also damaged homes, businesses and farms.

In a letter to President Donald Trump and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Armstrong asked the president to declare a major disaster for the Aug. 7-8 storm system covering Barnes, Grand Forks, Griggs, Kidder, Nelson, Steele and Stutsman counties.

"The system caused extensive damage to homes, businesses, agriculture, and electrical infrastructure, while widespread power outages and debris added to the burden on communities as they worked to respond and recover from the event," Armstrong stated in the request. "The hardships created by these severe storms pushed many emergency management offices beyond their capacity, forcing them to juggle response, recovery, and resource coordination under immense pressure."

The storms produced tornadoes, large hail and destructive winds of 70 to 100 mph, knocking out power to more than 16,000 residents across south-central and eastern North Dakota.

Today's request follows a statewide disaster declaration issued by Armstrong on Tuesday. If granted, the presidential declaration would make FEMA funding available to help with recovery costs including repairs to power lines and other utility infrastructure. Electrical infrastructure damage alone is reported at nearly $6 million.

A separate request for a presidential major disaster declaration for June 20-21 storm damage is still pending. The storms spawned more than 20 tornadoes, resulting in four storm-related deaths and causing more than $11 million in damage to public infrastructure as well as significant damage to utilities, grain bins, homes and other private property. That request covers 19 counties: Barnes, Burleigh, Cass, Eddy, Emmons, Foster, Grant, Griggs, Kidder, McLean, Morton, Oliver, Ransom, Sheridan, Sioux, Steele, Stutsman, Traill and Wells.