HURLEY, Va. (WJHL) — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on Tuesday denied an appeal to its original decision not to provide Hurley flood victims with individual assistance.
Former Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam requested the funding after the August 2021 floods killed one person and demolished nearly 50 homes in the Guesses Fork community.
In its original assistance denial letter, FEMA claimed the flooding’s impact on the community “was not of such severity and magnitude to warrant the designation of Individual Assistance…”
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D- Va.) said FEMA’s decision came as a disappointment as the Hurley community continues to rebuild from the deadly floods that ravaged dozens of homes.
“I’m extremely disappointed in FEMA’s decision to deny Individual Assistance to the Hurley community. I will continue to explore ways my office can help the citizens of Buchanan County recover from this natural disaster and mitigate the impact of future significant weather events.”
Sen. Mark Warner via Twitter
Congressman Morgan Griffith (R- Va.) also reacted to the appeal denial on Tuesday with the following statement.
“FEMA’s decision indicates that the agency is out of touch with the suffering experienced by the people of Hurley. The community continues to suffer from the impact of last August’s devastating flooding. Homes were washed away, and property destroyed. It will take considerable time and effort to recover, but FEMA’s decision sets back that process. I will continue to look for ways in which the federal government can assist this beleaguered community.”
Rep. Morgan Griffith
Buchanan County Supervisor Trey Adkins told News Channel 11 Tuesday that in total, the community lost 46 homes, with 58 more severely damaged during the floods.
