More than $2B in Federal Assistance Pours into Mississippi Two Months Following Katrina

In Mississippi ‘s Hurricane Katrina recovery, the numbers are staggering. Sixty days after landfall, the numbers of people receiving assistance is in the hundreds of thousands, and the dollars spent in the hundreds of millions.

Statistics update daily.

* By Oct. 28, 499,811 applicants in 49 disaster-declared Mississippi counties applied for assistance from the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
* $723.4 million in grants has been given to Mississippians affected by Katrina. That includes $606.9 million for minimal home repairs, direct housing and temporary rental costs not covered by insurance; and $116.4 million for serious needs, including medical, dental, personal property, funeral, transportation, moving and storage expenses.
* The SBA has approved 1,552 low-interest disaster loans, totaling $113.8 million .
* FEMA has approved $375.8 million in public assistance, a program providing funds for emergency services, debris removal and infrastructure repairs.
* Another $1.2 billion in funding has been obligated to reimburse federal agencies and others for immediate disaster relief activities.
* Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) operated by FEMA and the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) in 31 fixed locations and two mobile units have seen 202,456 visitors. The centers also provide people an opportunity to discuss their needs with representatives of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and other agencies.
* Temporary roofs have been installed on more than 40,883 homes. The Blue Roof Program, managed by the Corps of Engineers and funded by FEMA, keeps more than 100,000 residents living in their homes until permanent repairs are made.
* FEMA inspectors have completed 225,752 inspections. Those being considered for an SBA loan will receive a second inspection.
* Nearly 12,000 travel trailers and mobile homes have been placed on private and commercial sites, and are now occupied. They are providing housing for more than 32,000 displaced Mississippians. Individuals with special needs are now housed in ADA compliant manufactured housing.
* Another 1,400 individuals are housed aboard a cruise ship. This is the first time FEMA has used this type of temporary housing.
* An estimated 15.8 million cubic yards of debris has been removed to date. That is enough to fill more than 189 football fields stacked five stories high.
* Since Katrina struck, more than 14,000 people have found haven in 152 shelters throughout the state. There are now only 23 shelters remaining open housing 651 individuals.
* More than 8.2 million meals served to date through the Salvation Army, the American Red Cross and FEMA.
* Hurricane-damaged schools have received 234 portable classrooms, with more on the way.
* More than 3,000 people are currently working on recovery efforts in Mississippi – 1,166 FEMA personnel, and 1,965 from other state and federal agencies. Since Katrina’s landfall, 10,448 out-of-state National Guard troops and 9,607 out-of-state civilians worked on response and recovery efforts in Mississippi through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC).
* FEMA has projected allocations of $1.3 billion thus far to reduce future damages through its Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.
* The Mississippi Department of Employment Security has processed 42,716 claims for disaster-related unemployment benefits. Another 34,930 claims are pending.