A month after a 5.8 magnitude earthquake startled the East Coast, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell is asking for federal help to pay for the damage.
McDonnell requested aid for Louisa County through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Individual Assistance Program, which would allow residents to apply for grants, low-interest loans and housing assistance. The epicenter of the Aug. 23 quake — followed by more than 30 aftershocks — was outside Mineral in Louisa County.
The state also asked the feds for unemployment assistance, legal services and crisis counseling for Louisa County residents, and for Hazard Mitigation Assistance, a program that helps localities lessen the impact of future disasters.
Virginia Department of Emergency Management spokesman Bob Spieldenner said there is no guarantee FEMA will approve the state’s request, but he believes Virginia qualifies for aid because so few homeowners had earthquake insurance.
There was no estimate on the cost of the damage, but roughly 1,000 homes were affected.
Assessments of the aftermath took longer than usual because of the rarity of disaster. The state asked for help from federal engineers after officials “realized we didn’t have the expertise,” Spieldenner said. The damage was also more difficult to see than in floods or tornadoes.
McDonnell first declared a state of emergency on Aug. 26. The earthquake was the strongest to hit the eastern U.S. since 1944.
