Published: May 10, 2008 12:18 pm      

Pittsburg among counties OK’d for disaster help

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — President George W. Bush has approved Oklahoma’s request for federal disaster aid for 23 Oklahoma counties hit hard by destructive spring storms.

Federal funding is now available to help pay for infrastructure repairs and other costs associated with flooding, tornadoes and other severe weather that occurred in April, Gov. Brad Henry said Friday.

Counties approved for aid are: Adair, Caddo, Coal, Delaware, Haskell, Hughes, Johnson, Latimer, Logan, Love, McIntosh, Mayes, Muskogee, Okfuskee, Ottawa, Pawnee, Pittsburg, Pushmataha, Rogers, Seminole, Sequoyah, Tillman and Wagoner.

Preliminary estimates show nearly $22 million in damage from storms in March and April, primarily to municipal and county roads and bridges. Earlier this week, the White House approved federal disaster assistance for 13 counties in the state affected by March flooding.