Although power has been restored to all but as many as 40 homes in Durant, the city continues to face challenges returning to normal day-to-day life.
The United States Weather Service Jackson office confirmed Monday that the tornado that made a direct hit on Durant was an EF-2, with maximum wind speeds topping 120 mph. The tornado was more than a mile wide and travelled 23.44 miles starting in Pickens at 9:16 a.m. on Sunday, April 30 and ending in Durant around 9:41 a.m.
“Right now, we have FEMA teams joining MEMA teams and local officials on damage assessments. They are verifying the numbers we have,” said Greg Flynn, Mississippi Emergency Management external affairs director.
Once confirmed, that information will be sent to Washington, seeking a Presidential Disaster declaration that would make those affected eligible for grants to help them repair and rebuild.
“The more uninsured or underinsured for a declaration the better,” he added. “For the underinsured and uninsured, these grants can help make up the gap.”
Asked what residents need to do to gain assistance, Flynn said they should do nothing just yet, as long as they have already reported damage to their county emergency manager.
“You don’t even need to stay at the house to let assessors in. They are trained and will be able to tell everything they need to know from the outside,” Flynn said.
Flynn said once the agencies send in their declaration request, timing of any assistance is up to the federal government.
“As soon as we get an official declaration, then registration would begin immediately,” he added.
A second type of assistance will likely be available to public agencies, such as the city government, to cover the cost of debris removal and damage to cooperatives
Volunteer support
While there has been an outpouring of support from schools and other groups gathering and delivering water and other items, there is a struggle to get assistance to residents who need help with work on their property.
While most of Durant now has power, there are 30 to 40 homes that remain without.
“Several homes had the weatherheads ripped off, which connect power to the house,” said Flynn. “Volunteer agencies are providing funding to have those reinstalled.”
Volunteer Mississippi has set up in the old armory building at 16110 N. Jackson St. in order to receive help requests from residents and to coordinate responses from volunteers who register there.
This is where the shortage of help exists now.
“We actually have approximately 185 work orders,” said Coordinator Adrian Austin. “We’re trying to come in and assist, but we really do need some more volunteers.”
The work orders are mostly requests for help tarping the roofs of damaged homes and clearing trees and other debris from homes and land.
If you can volunteer or need help in Durant, you can stop by or call the Volunteer Mississippi station there at (610) 606-3937.
