Governor Noem seeks disaster declaration for six South Dakota counties

July 15, 2022

PIERRE, S.D.–Governor Kristi Noem has requested a Presidential Disaster Declaration to help South Dakota local governments recover from public infrastructure damage sustained as a result of tornado, severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, and hail that occurred June 11-14 in six counties.

A preliminary damage assessment conducted this week by FEMA indicates more than $1.6 million in damage was done to public infrastructure in the counties of Butte, Haakon, Jackson, Jones, McPherson, and Spink.

In a letter to President Biden, Noem wrote that the storm resulted in a tornado in Jones County, the first in that county since 1999, straight-line winds of more than 100 miles per hour, golf ball to grapefruit-sized hail, and heavy rains that led to flooding.

More than 6,000 customers experienced power outages and many customers were without power for up to four days.