Federal aid OK’d for Kay County, Others

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Federal emergency assistance has been approved for 16 more Oklahoma counties paralyzed for days by the October winter storm, Gov. Kevin Stitt said Thursday.

In a statement, Stitt said aid had been approved for Alfalfa, Blaine, Comanche, Custer, Ellis, Garfield, Grant, Jackson, Kay, Lincoln, Major, McClain, Pawnee, Stephens, Tillman and Washita counties.

Twenty-nine counties are now eligible for assistance. Aid was previously approved for Caddo, Canadian, Cleveland, Dewey, Grady, Kingfisher, Kiowa, Logan, Noble, Oklahoma, Payne, Pottawatomie and Roger Mills counties.

The multi-day storm left up to two inches of ice in some areas, hundreds of thousands without power and millions of dollars in damage. In the first 13 counties approved for aid alone, the storm caused an estimated $30 million in damage and debris removal costs.

Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security said damage appraisals were ongoing in some counties., and the state will request aid for additional counties as needed.