6 Kentucky counties hit by tornadoes, storms are approved for federal aid. More could be added.

by Lantern staff, Kentucky Lantern
May 24, 2025

Federal assistance is now available to individuals in six Kentucky counties affected by recent tornadoes and severe weather, the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Friday night.

President Donald Trump signed an order making  federal funding available to affected individuals in Caldwell, Laurel, Pulaski, Russell, Trigg and Union counties. Additional counties may become eligible for aid if warranted by damage assessments, FEMA said in a news release.

Nineteen people died in Kentucky as a result of tornadoes, storms and straight-line winds May 16-17.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who had asked Trump for an expedited disaster declaration, thanked the president and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in a post on social media. 

“Remember, this process takes time and we will add more counties to our request as damage assessments are completed,” Beshear said.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster, the FEMA release said.

Jeremy Slinker has been named the federal coordinating officer for federal recovery operations in the affected areas. Slinker formerly was director of Kentucky Emergency Management.

Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas should first file claims with their insurance providers and then apply for assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 1-800-621-3362 or by using the FEMA App. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, provide FEMA the number for that service.

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Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This content presents a straightforward news report focused on federal disaster assistance following severe weather events in Kentucky. It provides factual information about government actions, including statements from both a Republican president and a Democratic governor, without editorializing or promoting any particular political agenda. The neutral tone and balanced presentation of officials from different political parties indicate a centrist bias.